title: Effects of luteolin on learning acquisition in rats: involvement of the central cholinergic system.
abstract: The study was conducted to investigate the ameliorating effects of luteolin on memory acquisition in rats. The effects of luteolin on scopolamine-induced impairment of passive avoidance response were evaluated primarily, as well as the role of the central nervous system through the use of central neurotoxins and central nervous antagonists. Luteolin was not reversed by scopolamine N-methylbromide (M-SCOP) but blocked the impairment of learning acquisition induced by cholinergic neurotoxin (ethylcholine aziridinium, AF64A) and muscarinic (scopolamine hydrobromide, SCOP) and nicotinic (mecamylamine, MECA) receptor antagonists. However, it did not block dopaminergic neurotoxin (6-hydroxydopamine, 6-OHDA)-induced and serotonergic neurotoxin (5,7-dihydroxytryptamine, 5,7-DHT)-induced impairments. From these results, we suggest that the attenuating effect of luteolin (10 mg/kg, i.p.) on the deficits of passive avoidance performance induced by SCOP may be related to the increases in the activities of central muscarinic and nicotinic receptors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Fan-Shiu
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Wen-Huang
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Wen-Hsin
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chi-Rei
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chia-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Yao-Tung
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ifrim-Chen
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Ming-Tsuen
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D047311:Luteolin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000378:metabolism; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D047311:Luteolin