title: Baicalin improves chronic corticosterone-induced learning and memory deficits via the enhancement of impaired hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cAMP response element-binding protein expression in the rat.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine whether baicalin (BAI) improves spatial cognitive impairments induced in rats following the repeated administration of the exogenous stress hormone corticosterone (CORT). The effect of BAI on the hippocampal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) was also investigated. For 21 days, male rats received daily doses of BAI (20, 50, and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) 1 h prior to a CORT (40 mg/kg) injection. The daily administration of BAI improved memory impairment as measured by the passive avoidance test and reduced the escape latency for finding the platform in the Morris water maze test. Additionally, as assessed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, the administration of BAI also significantly alleviated memory-associated decreases in the expression levels of BDNF and CREB proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampus. These results demonstrate that the administration of BAI prior to high-dose exogenous CORT results in significant neuroprotective activity against neuronal impairment and memory dysfunction in rats. Thus, these findings suggest that BAI might be useful as a therapeutic agent in various neurodegenerative diseases for the improvement of cognitive function. This likely occurs through the regulation of BDNF and CREB expression.
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, Korea, bombi@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Bombi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bongjun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sur
authors.forename: Insop
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Hyejung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dae-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Hahm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000009:adverse effects; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D005419:Flavonoids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C038044:baicalin; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein; C494365:Crebbp protein, rat; D003345:Corticosterone