Piperine, the main alkaloid of Thai black pepper, protects against neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in animal model of cognitive deficit like condition of Alzheimer's disease.
Recently, numerous medicinal plants possessing profound central nervous system effects and antioxidant activity have received much attention as food supplement to improve cognitive function against cognitive deficit condition including in Alzheimer's disease condition. Based on this information, the effect of piperine, a main active alkaloid in fruit of Piper nigrum, on memory performance and neurodegeneration in animal model of Alzheimer's disease have been investigated. Adult male Wistar rats (180-220 g) were orally given piperine at various doses ranging from 5, 10 and 20mg/kg BW at a period of 2 weeks before and 1 week after the intracerebroventricular administration of ethylcholine aziridinium ion (AF64A) bilaterally. The results showed that piperine at all dosage range used in this study significantly improved memory impairment and neurodegeneration in hippocampus. The possible underlying mechanisms might be partly associated with the decrease lipid peroxidation and acetylcholinesterase enzyme. Moreover, piperine also demonstrated the neurotrophic effect in hippocampus. However, further researches about the precise underlying mechanism are still required.
Chonpathompikunlert
Pennapa
P
Department of Physiology and Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
Wattanathorn
Jintanaporn
J
Muchimapura
Supaporn
S
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001388:Aziridines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D052117:Benzodioxoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D000077265:Donepezil; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D007189:Indans / Q000494:pharmacology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D029222:Piper nigrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D013785:Thailand
D000470:Alkaloids; D001388:Aziridines; D052117:Benzodioxoles; D007189:Indans; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D000077265:Donepezil; C044894:ethylcholine aziridinium; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D002794:Choline; C008922:piperine