Nature and flavor pharmacology of Fuling and its components for learning and memory improvement as well as sedative and hypnotic effects / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the activities of Fuling (the dried sclerotium of Poria cocos) and its components, then its nature and flavor were attributed by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. Methods: Scopolamine was used to cause learning and memory impairment in mice, and Morris water maze test was used to observe the effects of Fuling and its components on learning and memory of mice, and shaking cage method and pentobarbital sodium were used to evaluate the sedative and hypnotic effects of Fuling and its components. Results: Water decoction of Fuling (crude drug 8.56 g/kg), ethyl acetate, petroleum ether, crude polysaccharides, and refined polysaccharides components could significantly shorten the latency of scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice to reach the platform; Acetylcholinesterase activity in mice brain was decreased, the effects of the components washed with alcohol and water on latency were less obvious and the individual components of the cerebral index showed an increase in different proportions; Crude drug (42.8 g/kg) water decoction of Fuling could significantly prolong the sleeping time, but had no effect on sleep latency; Crude polysaccharides could significantly shorten the sleep latency while the refined polysaccharides could significantly increase sleeping time; Followed by ethyl acetate components, the petroleum ether components showed a weak antagonistic effect. Conclusion: The learning and memory improvement as well as the sedative and hypnotic effects are associated with Fuling's sweet taste which can tonify spleen to calm nerves; The ethyl acetate, petroleum ether, and polysaccharides components are the basic materials of sweet taste.