Petroleum ether extract of Cnidium monnieri ameliorated scopolamine-induced amnesia through adrenal gland-mediated mechanism in male rats.
OBJECTIVE
Our previous study indicated petroleum ether layer of Cnidium monnieri L. Cuss. (CM) and its ingredient osthole could alleviate scopolamine-induced amnesia in female rats.


METHODS
Hence, this study was desired to investigate the mechanism of the ameliorating effects of petroleum ether layer of CM on the performance impairment of inhibitory avoidance task and Morris water maze induced by scopolamine in male rats.


RESULTS
CM at 0.1-0.6g/kg orally administered 60 min before the training trial ameliorated the scopolamine-induced performance impairment on inhibitory avoidance learning and water maze in male rats. Only adrenalectomy but not peripheral cholinergic antagonist scopolamine methylbromide and catecholaminergic neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine blocked the ameliorating effects of CM on scopolamine-induced performance impairment in rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, we demonstrated that the ameliorating effects of CM on scopolamine-induced performance impairment may be related to activating the adrenal gland and central acetylcholingeric neuron, instead of peripheral nervous system.
Wu
Chi-Rei
CR
Graduate Institute of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Medical University, 91, Hsueh Shih Road, Taichung 40421, Taiwan, ROC. crw@mail.cmu.edu.tw
Lin
Li-Wei
LW
Hsieh
Chia-Ling
CL
Wang
Wen-Hsin
WH
Lin
Yung-Ta
YT
Hsieh
Ming-Tsuen
MT
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000473:Alkanes; D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D031048:Cnidium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012601:Scopolamine; D012997:Solvents; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical
D000473:Alkanes; D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D012601:Scopolamine; C004544:naphtha