Neuroprotective effects of Dioscorea opposita on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in in vivo behavioral tests and in vitro assays.
BACKGROUND
Plants belong to the genus Dioscorea have long been used as edible tuber crops in many tropical and subtropical areas and as a traditional herbal medicine in oriental countries including China, Japan and Korea.


OBJECTIVE
In this study, in vivo and in vitro tests were carried out to evaluate the cognitive enhancing effects of CHCl(3)-soluble extract from Dioscorea opposita against scopolamine-induced amnesic mice and glutamate- and H(2)O(2)-treated cortical neurons of rats.


RESULTS
Acute treatment (200 mg/kg body weight, p.o.) and 10 days' daily administration (50 mg/kg body weight, p.o.) of CHCl(3)-soluble extract showed significant spatial learning and memory improvement on mice. Furthermore, the neuroprotective effects on glutamate- and H(2)O(2)-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured cortical neurons of rats were assessed. Pretreatment with the extract was found to impart significant protection against neurotoxicity.


CONCLUSIONS
These in vivo and in vitro results suggest that the Dioscorea opposita has neuroprotective effects on memory impairment related neurodegenerative diseases.
Yang
Min Hye
MH
College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yoon
Kee Dong
KD
Chin
Young-Won
YW
Park
Ju Hyun
JH
Kim
Seung Hyun
SH
Kim
Young Choong
YC
Kim
Jinwoong
J
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D027742:Dioscorea / Q000737:chemistry*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000633:toxicity
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D012601:Scopolamine