ABSTRACT
This study was designed to investigate the effects of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb et Zucc) needle on cholesterol and lipofuscin (LF) accumulations, acetylcholine (ACh) and its related enzyme activities such as choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) activity, which destroyed the catecholamine related neurotransmitters in brain membranes of Sprague- Dawley (SD) rats. Male SD rats were fed basic diets (control group) and experimental diets (EtOAc-25, EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100) for 45 days. Cholesterol accumulations in mitochondria and microsomes were significantly inhibited (11.8 - 12.1% and 9.6 - 13.0%, respectvely) in EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100 groups. ACh levels and ChAT activities were significantly increased about 10% in membranes of EtOAc-100 group compared with control group. AChE activities were significantly increased about 8 - 12% in membranes of EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100 groups compared with control group. MAO-B activities were significantly inhibited about 10% in membrane of EtOAc-100 group compared with control group. These results suggest that ethyl acetate fraction of pine needle may play an effective role in inhibiting cholesterol and improving a membrane fluidity, and learning and memory impairments.