Bacopa monniera extract reduces amyloid levels in PSAPP mice.
PSAPP mice expressing the "Swedish" amyloid precursor protein and M146L presenilin-1 mutations are a well-characterized model for spontaneous amyloid plaque formation. Bacopa monniera has a long history of use in India as an anti-aging and memory-enhancing ethnobotanical therapy. To evaluate the effect of Bacopa monniera extract (BME) on amyloid (Abeta) pathology in PSAPP mice, two doses of BME (40 or 160 mg/kg/day) were administered starting at 2 months of age for either 2 or 8 months. Our present data suggests that BME lowers Abeta 1-40 and 1-42 levels in cortex by as much as 60%, and reverses Y-maze performance and open field hyperlocomotion behavioral changes present in PSAPP mice. The areas encompassed by Congo Red-positive fibrillar amyloid deposits, however, were not altered by BME treatment. The data suggest that BME has potential application in Alzheimer's disease therapeutics.
Holcomb
Leigh A
LA
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M, University System HSC College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76508, USA.
Dhanasekaran
Muralikrishnan
M
Hitt
Angie R
AR
Young
Keith A
KA
Riggs
Mark
M
Manyam
Bala V
BV
D000682:Amyloid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D034681:Bacopa / Q000737:chemistry*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009454:Neurofibrils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D053764:Presenilin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D000682:Amyloid; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053764:Presenilin-1