Effect of water extracts of Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. fruit on memory impairment in cerebral ischemia rats / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective This report investigate the intervention effect of the water extract of Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. fruit (AOF)on memory impairment and the mechanism in cerebral ischemia rats. Methods 48 Rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group(n=12), ischemia group(n=12), AOF group Ⅰ( n= 12)and AOF group Ⅱ (n= 12). The model of transient cerebral ischemic/reperfusion was made by bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries in rats and combination with reducing blood pressure with an abdominal injection of so-dium nitroprusside. Learning-memory ability was observed by step through test. The content of NO and the activi-ties of NOS were measured in hippocampus. Results In step through test,the latency in ischemia group[(143.8±65.2)s]significantly decreased, the number of errors (8.9±4.2 ) significantly increased compared with sham-operated group [latency (257.2±67.1 ) s; number of errors (1.7±1.1 ), P<0.01 ]. The latency in AOF group Ⅰ and AOF group Ⅱ[(186.5±46.2) s, (193.4±43.7 ) s ] significantly increased, the number of errors (6.1±2.9,5.2±2.1 ) significantly decreased compared with ischemia group(P<0.05, P<0.01). In hippocampus, the content of NO and the activities of NOS in ischemia group [(56.53±27.42) nmol/mg prot, (17.23±5.64) nmol/mg prot] significantly increased compared with sham-operated group[ (40.02±17.9 ) nmol/mg prot, ( 10.46±6.15)nmol/mg prot], and in AOF group Ⅰ and AOF group Ⅱ [content of NOgroup Ⅰ (46.60 ±20. 26)nmol/mg prot,group Ⅱ (42.38±21.23) nmol/mg prot ;activities of NOSgroup Ⅰ (13.98±5.13 ) nmol/mg pint,group Ⅱ(13.61±5.27) nmol/mg prot] significantly decreased compared with ischemia group(P<0.05). Conclu-sion AOF could significantly ameliorate the memory impairment in cerebral ischemic rats. Its effects may be in-volved in the decrease of content of NO and activities of NOS in hippocampus.