title: Reconstituted mother tinctures of Gelsemium sempervirens L. improve memory and cognitive impairment in mice scopolamine-induced dementia model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gelsemium sempervirens (L.) J.St.-Hil is a herb used for the treatment of various neuroses in both homeopathic and Ayurvedic systems. The present study examines whether Gelsemium reconstituted tincture can protect against scopolamine induced cognitive discrepancies in amnesic mouse model. In order to investigate the protective mechanism of Gelsemium against dementia, in vitro acetyl cholinesterase and β-secretase enzyme inhibition and estimation of glutathione level in mouse brain were carried out.
  
  
  METHODS
  The inhibition study on acetyl cholinesterase and β-secretase enzyme was conducted on brain homogenate supernatant spectrophotometrically using specific substrate. Cognitive enhancement activity was assessed by elevated plus maze and passive avoidance study in scopolamine induced dementia mouse model. Glutathione, an anti-oxidant, was measured spectrophotometrically from scopolamine induced amnesic mice brain supernatant using 5,5'-dithiobis 2-nitrobenzoic acid in the presence and absence of Gelsemium tincture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant inhibition was found with Gelsemium on AChE and β-secretase enzyme with an IC50 of 9.25 and 16.25 µg/ml, respectively, followed by increasing glutathione levels in comparison to the untreated dementia group. The effect of Gelsemium of scopolamine-induced cognitive deficits was determined by measuring the behavioral parameters and the antioxidant status of the brain after scopolamine (1mg/kg i.p.) injected amnesic mice. Gelsemium significantly demonstrated in vivo anti-dementia activity (60% protection) and increased exploratory behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our investigations indicated that alkaloid, iridoids and coumarin enriched reconstituted Gelsemium tincture extract displays promising cognitive enhancement in adult mice after short-term oral treatment. Hence, Gelsemium can be a promising anti-dementia agent, mediating the protection against amnesia, attention disorders and learning dysfunctions through dual inhibition of both acetyl cholinesterases (no false positive effect was shown), β-secretase and antioxidant activity.
authors.affiliation: Dr. B. C. Roy College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Bidhan Nagar, Durgapur 713206, India. Electronic address: itspartha_p@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Partha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palit
authors.affiliation: Dr. B. C. Roy College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Bidhan Nagar, Durgapur 713206, India.
authors.forename: Dhrubojyoti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Research Laboratory, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India. Electronic address: scmandal1963@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Subhash C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mandal
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003704:Dementia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D031450:Gelsemium; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012601:Scopolamine; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012601:Scopolamine; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C509282:Bace1 protein, mouse; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Acetylcholine-esterase; Anti-dementia activity; Cognitive; Gelsemium sempervirens (Gelsemiaceae); Glutathione; β-secretase