title: Combination of Spirulina with glycyrrhizin prevents cognitive dysfunction in aged obese rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the cognition enhancing effect of the combination of Spirulina and glycyrrhizin in monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obese aged rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Obesity was induced in rats by administration of MSG (intraperitoneally, 4 mg/g body weight) for 14 consecutive days from day 1 after birth. Subsequently, the animals were allowed to grow for 18 months with food and water ad libitum. Hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, leptin resistance, were monitored in these animals. Cognitive status was assessed by Barne's maze task and hippocampal acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels. Further, the animals were treated with Spirulina (Sp) (oral route, 1 g/Kg body weight, for 30 days) alone or glycyrrhizin (Gly) alone (intraperitoneal route, 0.1 mg/Kg, on day 15 and day 21), or their combination (SpGly). Counting of the treatment days was done by considering first day of Sp administration as day 1. After the completion of 30 days of Spirulina treatment or 2 doses of Gly administration or the combination (SpGly) treatment, the animals were left for 3 weeks. They were then were assessed for their biochemical and cognitive changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The combination of Sp with Gly showed a significant reduction (P < 0.0001) in glucose, cholesterol, leptin levels in the serum with improvement in cognitive functions with concomitant reduction in AChE activity in the hippocampal tissue homogenates (P < 0.0001) of the obese rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SpGly combination has a potential role in reversing cognitive dysfunctions associated with aging and obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Sowmya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madhavadas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Sarada
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Subramanian
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D057567:Memory, Long-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012970:Sodium Glutamate; D053545:Spirulina; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D020738:Leptin; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; C548246:Ache protein, rat; D012970:Sodium Glutamate
keywords: Acetyl cholinesterase; Spirulina; cognition; glycyrrhizin; leptin; memory; obesity
references.citation: Nat Prod Commun. 2013 Mar;8(3):415-8
references.pmid: 23678825
references.citation: Hippocampus. 2008;18(11):1085-8
references.pmid: 18651634
references.citation: J Lab Clin Med. 1953 Mar;41(3):486-92
references.pmid: 13035283
references.citation: Hum Exp Toxicol. 2000 Aug;19(8):434-9
references.pmid: 11125713
references.citation: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2013 Feb;68(2):175-80
references.pmid: 22859388
references.citation: Eur J Pharmacol. 2011 Dec 15;672(1-3):96-105
references.pmid: 21924263
references.citation: Indian J Exp Biol. 2013 Feb;51(2):129-38
references.pmid: 23923606
references.citation: Indian J Med Res. 2012 Mar;135:422-8
references.pmid: 22561632
references.citation: Cell. 1995 Jun 16;81(6):905-15
references.pmid: 7781067
references.citation: Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2005 Oct;6(5):373-9
references.pmid: 16248810
references.citation: Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2014 Aug;51(4):257-62
references.pmid: 25296496
references.citation: Chem Biol Interact. 2010 Sep 6;187(1-3):403-8
references.pmid: 19941841
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2008 May;149(5):2628-36
references.pmid: 18276751
references.citation: J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2013 Jul;4(2):420-5
references.pmid: 24082744
references.citation: Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:829-44
references.pmid: 23869170
references.citation: Anal Biochem. 1979 Jun;95(2):351-8
references.pmid: 36810
references.citation: J Comp Physiol Psychol. 1979 Feb;93(1):74-104
references.pmid: 221551
references.citation: Hum Exp Toxicol. 2012 Dec;31(12):1295-8
references.pmid: 22653692
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265-75
references.pmid: 14907713
references.citation: J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2011;57(2):186-91
references.pmid: 21697639
references.citation: PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45256
references.pmid: 23028885
references.citation: Epidemiol Rev. 2013;35:22-32
references.pmid: 23258415
references.citation: JOP. 2010;11(1):61-3
references.pmid: 20065556
references.citation: Biochem Pharmacol. 1961 Jul;7:88-95
references.pmid: 13726518