title: Ameliorative effects of lotus seedpod proanthocyanidins on cognitive deficits and oxidative damage in senescence-accelerated mice.
abstract: We investigated the effects of lotus seedpod proanthocyanidins (LSPC) administration by oral gavage for 3 months on body weight, learning and memory deficits using Y-maze test, oxidative stress and antioxidative enzyme activity in brain and serum of the senescence-accelerated mice (SAMP8) and the senescence-resistant mice (SAMR1). Mice of each group were weighed weekly. Brain was obtained from SAMP8 and SAMR1 (the control mouse for SAMP8) at 6 months of age and serum was available from SAMP8 and SAMR1 at 3, 4, 5 and 6 months of age. The results of body weight showed that 90mg/kg LSPC administration significantly increased body weight at 5.5 and 6 months of age in SAMP8 when compared with control SAMP8 of the same age. Y-maze test indicated that learning and memory abilities of mice were deteriorated significantly at 6 months of age in SAMP8 compared with age-matched SAMR1, but were remarkably improved after LSPC (60, 90, 120mg/kg body weight) administration beginning at 3 months of ages. Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) exhibited significant increases mostly at 5 and 6 months of age in SAMP8. Glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities decreased significantly mostly at 5 and 6 months of age in SAMP8. LSPC (60, 90, 120mg/kg body weight) administration beginning at 3 months of ages decreased MDA, NO content and lowered NOS activity in the brain and serum of SAMP8. Furthermore, LSPC significantly increased GSH level and augmented GPx, SOD activity in the brain and serum of SAMP8. These results suggest that an age-related increase in brain tissue vulnerability to oxidation and deterioration in learning and memory abilities in SAM that can be modified by LSPC, most likely through the ability of LSPC to scavenge oxygen free radicals and to stimulate antioxidant enzyme activity.
authors.affiliation: Natural Product Laboratory, Department of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China. tortoise39@163.com
authors.forename: Yushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Liegang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bijun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Yongcheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Erling
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D019588:Aging, Premature / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D044945:Proanthocyanidins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D044945:Proanthocyanidins; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase