title: Dose-response effect of black maca (Lepidium meyenii) in mice with memory impairment induced by ethanol.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that black variety of maca has beneficial effects on learning and memory in experimental animal models. The present study aimed to determine whether the hydroalcoholic extract of black maca (BM) showed a dose-response effect in mice treated with ethanol 20% (EtOH) as a model of memory impairment. Mice were divided in the following groups: control, EtOH, ascorbic acid (AA) and 0.125, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 g/kg of BM plus EtOH. All treatments were orally administered for 28 days. Open field test was performed to determine locomotor activity and water Morris maze was done to determine spatial memory. Also, total polyphenol content in the hydroalcoholic extract of BM was determined (0.65 g pyrogallol/100 g). Mice treated with EtOH took more time to find the hidden platform than control during escape acquisition trials; meanwhile, AA and BM reversed the effect of EtOH. In addition, AA and BM ameliorated the deleterious effect of EtOH during the probe trial. Correlation analyses showed that the effect of BM a dose-dependent behavior. Finally, BM improved experimental memory impairment induced by ethanol in a dose-response manner due, in part, to its content of polyphenolic compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy and Instituto de Investigaciones de la Altura, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru. julio.rubio.m@upch.pe
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yucra
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gasco
authors.forename: Gustavo F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gonzales
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D029686:Lepidium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol