alpha-Asarone Ameliorates Memory Deficit in Lipopolysaccharide-Treated Mice via Suppression of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Microglial Activation
Biomolecules & Therapeutics
;
: 17-26, 2014.
Article
in English
| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-138518
ABSTRACT
alpha-Asarone exhibits a number of pharmacological actions including neuroprotective, anti-oxidative, anticonvulsive, and cognitive enhancing action. The present study investigated the effects of alpha-asarone on pro-inflammatory cytokines mRNA, microglial activation, and neuronal damage in the hippocampus and on learning and memory deficits in systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated C57BL/6 mice. Varying doses of alpha-asarone was orally administered (7.5, 15, or 30 mg/kg) once a day for 3 days before the LPS (3 mg/kg) injection. alpha-Asarone significantly reduced TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA at 4 and 24 hours after the LPS injection at dose of 30 mg/kg. At 24 hours after the LPS injection, the loss of CA1 neurons, the increase of TUNEL-labeled cells, and the up-regulation of BACE1 expression in the hippocampus were attenuated by 30 mg/kg of alpha-asarone treatment. alpha-Asarone significantly reduced Iba1 protein expression in the hippocampal tissue at a dose of 30 mg/kg. alpha-Asarone did not reduce the number of Iba1-expressing microglia on immunohistochemistry but the average cell size and percentage areas of Iba1-expressing microglia in the hippocampus were significantly decreased by 30 mg/kg of alpha-asarone treatment. In the Morris water maze test, alpha-asarone significantly prolonged the swimming time spent in the target and peri-target zones. alpha-Asarone also significantly increased the number of target heading and memory score in the Morris water maze. The results suggest that inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and microglial activation in the hippocampus by alpha-asarone may be one of the mechanisms for the alpha-asarone-mediated ameliorating effect on memory deficits.
Full text:
Available
Index:
WPRIM (Western Pacific)
Main subject:
Swimming
/
RNA, Messenger
/
Immunohistochemistry
/
Up-Regulation
/
Cytokines
/
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
/
Microglia
/
Maze Learning
/
Cell Size
/
Head
Limits:
Animals
Language:
English
Journal:
Biomolecules & Therapeutics
Year:
2014
Type:
Article
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