title: Ameliorating effect of lyophilized extract of Butea frondosa leaves on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Butea frondosa (BF) Roxb. & Koen. (syn. B. monosperma Lam.) (Fabaceae) leaves have been used in folklore medicine for the treatment of diabetes, conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system disorders such as anxiety, amnesia, etc.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of lyophilized hydroalcoholic extract of BF leaves (BFLE) at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o., for its memory enhancing activity against scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antiamnesic effect of the BFLE was evaluated using Morris water maze and object recognition test models. The effect of BFLE on acetylcholinesterase activity and malondialdehyde and glutathione levels were also evaluated in brain homogenate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BFLE ameliorates scopolamine-induced amnesia in both the models with maximum effect at 400 mg/kg. BFLE (400 mg/kg) decreased escape latency and increased time spent in target quadrant (24.2 and 42.5 s, respectively) in comparison to scopolamine (82 and 18.2 s, respectively) in the Morris water maze task. In the object recognition test, BFLE produced significant increase in ability to discriminate between novel and familiar objects. The highest investigated dose of BFLE (400 mg/kg), produced a significant decrease in acetylcholinesterase activity and malondialdehyde levels, and improves glutathione levels in comparison to scopolamine. Moreover, this effect of BFLE at 400 mg/kg was comparable to that of standard, donepezil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BFLE exhibited significant antiamnesic activity in rats thereby validating its folklore use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Drug Technology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India. jmalik_isf@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Munish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deshmukh
authors.forename: Puneet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D031290:Butea / Q000737:chemistry*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005612:Freeze Drying; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D012601:Scopolamine; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D012601:Scopolamine; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; C548246:Ache protein, rat; D005978:Glutathione