title: Ameliorative effects of curculigoside from Curculigo orchioides Gaertn on learning and memory in aged rats.
abstract: This study was designed to evaluate the ameliorating effects of curculigoside from Curculigo orchioides Gaertn on learning and memory in aged rats. In the present study, the ameliorating effects of curculigoside were determined through animal behaviour studies (including step-down test and Y-maze test), and the possible mechanisms were explored by evaluation of the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and determination of the expression of BACE1. Oral adminstration of the curculigoside (20, 40 mg/kg/day) for 14 days can significantly improve the latency and number of errors in aged rats based on the behaviour study results. In addition, the activity of AchE can be decreased by treatment of the curculigoside (10, 20, 40 mg/kg/day). Moreover, the expression of BACE1 can be down-regulated in the hippocampus of aged rats treated with curculigoside. The results of our present work have indicated that curculigoside can improve cognitive function in aged animals, possibly by decreasing the activity of AchE in the cerebra and inhibiting the expression of BACE1 in the hippocampus. In conclusion, our results suggested that curculigoside can be possible developed as a new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geraeology, First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou 215006, China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jian-Zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Zheng
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Bao-Yuan
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D000818:Animals; D001519:Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D001565:Benzoates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031408:Curculigo / Q000737:chemistry; D005960:Glucosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D005960:Glucosides; D018697:Nootropic Agents; C477170:curculigoside