title: Uncaria rhynchophylla ameliorates cognitive deficits induced by D-galactose in mice.
abstract: The stem with hooks of Uncaria rhynchophylla is a component herb of many traditional formulae for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, scientific evidence of the efficacy of Uncaria rhynchophylla in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in animal models is lacking. Thus, in the present study, we investigated whether the 70 % aqueous ethanol extract of Uncaria rhynchophylla (EUR) could protect against D-galactose (D-gal)-induced cognitive deficits in mice. Mice were given a subcutaneous injection of D-gal (50 mg/kg) and orally administered EUR (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) daily for 8 weeks. The effect of EUR on D-gal-induced cognitive deficits was evaluated by measuring behavioral and neurochemical parameters of AD and the antioxidant status of brain tissue. The results showed that EUR (200 or 400 mg/kg) significantly increased exploratory behavior (assessed by an open-field test) and improved spatial learning and memory function (assessed by the Morris water maze test) in D-gal-treated mice. In addition, EUR (200 or 400 mg/kg) significantly increased the levels of acetylcholine and glutathione and decreased the activity of acetylcholinesterase and the level of malondialdehyde in the brains of D-gal-treated mice. These results indicate that EUR ameliorates cognitive deficits induced by D-gal in mice, and that this action may be mediated, at least in part, by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity and the enhancement of the antioxidant status of brain tissue.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.forename: Zhi-Xiu
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qing-Qiu
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Siu-Po
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: Chun-Tao
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Che
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000737:chemistry; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000737:chemistry; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005690:Galactose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000737:chemistry; D018782:Maze Learning; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032070:Uncaria / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D005978:Glutathione; D000109:Acetylcholine; D005690:Galactose