title: Neuroprotective effects of Dioscorea opposita on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in in vivo behavioral tests and in vitro assays.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Hye
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kee Dong
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Young-Won
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Ju Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Choong
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jinwoong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D012601:Scopolamine