title: Asparagus recemosus enhances memory and protects against amnesia in rodent models.
abstract: Asparagus Racemosus (AR) is an Ayurvedic rasayana possessing multiple neuropharmacological activities. The adpatogenic and antidepressant activity of AR is well documented. The present study was undertaken to assess nootropic and anti-amnesic activities of MAR in rats. The Morris water maze (MWM) and elevated plus maze (EPM) models were employed to evaluate learning and memory activity. Subsequently, the anti-amnestic activity was evaluated in scopolamine and sodium nitrite (NaNO(2))-induced amnestic models in rats. Rats pre-treated with MAR (50, 100 and 200mg/kg, p.o) for 7 days showed significant decrease in escape latency in the MWM test indicating nootropic activity. MAR also significantly reversed scopolamine and sodium nitrite-induced increase in transfer latency on EPM indicating anti-amnesic activity. Further, MAR dose-dependently inhibited acetylcholinesterase enzyme in specific brain regions (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus). Thus, MAR showed nootropic and anti-amnesic activities in the models tested and these effects may probably be mediated through augmentation of cholinergic system due to its anti-cholinesterase activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, UP, India.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ojha
authors.forename: Alakh N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Sahu
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Muruganandam
authors.forename: Gireesh Kumar
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sairam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnamurthy
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019668:Liliaceae; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase