title: Ethanol extract of Astragali Radix and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, Myelophil, exerts anti-amnesic effect in a mouse model of scopolamine-induced memory deficits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Myelophil, a combination of extracts taken from Astragali Radix and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, is a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of chronic fatigue-associated disorders. Here we examined the ability of Myelophil to alleviate memory impairment in a mouse model. We aimed to investigate whether Myelophil has the pharmacological effects on memory deficits associated with brain dysfunctions using an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten week-old male C57BL/6N mice were pretreated with Myelophil (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg), or tacrine (10 mg/kg) for 7 days, and then intraperitoneally injected with scopolamine (1 mg/kg). Memory-related behaviors were evaluated using the Morris water maze for 5 days. Levels of biomarkers of oxidative stress, antioxidant activity, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were measured in brain tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scopolamine treatment increased the escape latency time and shortened time spent in the target quadrant; these effects were ameliorated by pretreatment with Myelophil. Scopolamine-induced changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialehyde (MDA), and AChE activity were significantly attenuated in mice pretreated with Myelophil. Recovery of antioxidant capacities, including total glutathione (GSH) content, and the activities of GSH-reductase, GSH-S-transferase, and catalase was also evident in Myelophil-treated mice. The strongest effects were seen for ERK and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 1 (mAChR1) at both the protein and gene expression levels, with significant amelioration of expression levels in the Myelophil pretreatment group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that Myelophil confers anti-amnesic properties in a mouse model of memory impairment, driven in part by the modulation of cholinergic activity.
authors.affiliation: Liver and Immunology Research Center, Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University, 22-5 Daehung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon 301-724, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Liver and Immunology Research Center, Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University, 22-5 Daehung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon 301-724, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeong-Geug
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Liver and Immunology Research Center, Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University, 22-5 Daehung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon 301-724, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Woon
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul 136-703, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Wan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Liver and Immunology Research Center, Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University, 22-5 Daehung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon 301-724, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Ae
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: GyeongGi Bio-Center, GSTEP, 864-1 Iui-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Liver and Immunology Research Center, Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University, 22-5 Daehung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon 301-724, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Kyeong
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Liver and Immunology Research Center, Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University, 22-5 Daehung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon 301-724, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: ckson@dju.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Chang-Gue
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D018517:Plant Roots; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza; D012601:Scopolamine; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C530779:Myelophil; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D012997:Solvents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000431:Ethanol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D012601:Scopolamine; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Acetylcholinesterase; Antioxidant; Extracellular signal-regulated kinase; Memory; Oxidative stress; Scopolamine