title: Huperzine A ameliorates cognitive deficits in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The present study was designed to probe the effects of Huperzine A (HupA) on diabetes-associated cognitive decline (DACD) using a streptozotocin (STZ)-injected rat model. Diabetic rats were treated with HupA (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg) for seven weeks. Memory functions were evaluated by the water maze test. Nissl staining was selected for detecting neuronal loss. Protein and mRNA levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were analyzed by ELISA and real-time PCR, respectively. The activities of choline acetylase (ChAT), Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), NF-κB p65 unit, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and caspase-3 were measured using corresponding kits. After seven weeks, diabetic rats exhibited remarkable reductions in: body weight, percentage of time spent in target quadrant, number of times crossing the platform, ChAT and BDNF levels, SOD, GSH-Px and CAT accompanied with increases in neuronal damage, plasma glucose levels, escape latency, mean path length, AChE, MDA level as well as CAT, NF-κB p65 unit, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and caspase-3 in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Supplementation with HupA significantly and dose-dependently reversed the corresponding values in diabetes. It is concluded that HupA ameliorates DACD via modulating BDNF, oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. maoxiaoyuan2011@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming 650118, China. danfengcao2014@163.com.
authors.forename: Dan-Feng
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. xilidr@163.com.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. jiyeyindr2014@163.com.
authors.forename: Ji-Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China. zhibinwang2014@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhi-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. yingzhang2014@163.com.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. chenxuemao2014@163.com.
authors.forename: Chen-Xue
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. honghaozhoudr@163.com.
authors.forename: Hong-Hao
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. liuzhaoqian63@126.com.
authors.forename: Zhao-Qian
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D001786:Blood Glucose; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016207:Cytokines; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C050426:huperzine A; D013311:Streptozocin; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D053148:Caspase 3