title: Tenuigenin treatment improves behavioral Y-maze learning by enhancing synaptic plasticity in mice.
abstract: Polygala tenuifolia root has been used to improve memory and cognitive function in Traditional Chinese Medicine for more than 2000 years. Since tenuigenin (TEN) is one of the most utilized P. tenuifolia root extracts, it is surprising there is no evidence for the effects of TEN on learning and memory so far. In the present study, we investigated the effects of TEN on learning and memory with Y-maze test in mice. We found that oral administration of 4mg/kg TEN significantly improved learning and memory in Y-maze task. Treatment with 4mg/kg TEN markedly reduced the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in hippocampus. In the electrophysiological test of hippocampal brain slice, 2μg/ml TEN perfusion substantially enhanced field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) amplitude both in basic synaptic transmission and after high frequency stimulation (HFS) in Schaffer to CA1 pathway (Scha-CA1). These results indicate that TEN enhancing learning and memory may result from inhibiting AChE activity, improving antioxidation and enhancing synaptic plasticity in mice. Therefore, TEN shows promise as a potential nootropic product in improving learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, South China Normal University, 55W Zhongshan Ave, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jun-ni
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chun-yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiu-li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bo-zhi
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xing-yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Wen-xiao
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Liang-wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Chu-hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018697:Nootropic Agents; C493220:tenuigenin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase