RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Hydroethanolic extract of Zanthoxylum alatum seeds (HEZA) in scopolamine-induced amnesia was investigated for memory enhancing activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Radial arm maze (RAM) test was performed to evaluate the behavioral activity. Rats were treated with HEZA (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, p. o.) and tacrine (3 mg/kg. i. p.) for 14 days. Scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg) was injected i. p. into rats after 45 min of drug administration on the 14th day. The messenger RNA (mRNA)/protein profile of few markers (acetylcholinesterase [AChE], heme oxygenase-1 [HO-1], nuclear factor-kappa B [NFκB], nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 [Nrf2], protein phosphatase 2A[PP2A], Tau, brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF], tropomyosin-related kinase B [TrkB], Bcl-2-associated X protein [Bax], and Caspase-3) were also measured by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunoblotting assay. Brain cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin [IL]-1 ß, and IL-10) in hippocampus were evaluated using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. RESULTS: HEZA exhibited anti-amnesic activity as indicated by a significant reduction in the working memory error and reference memory error in RAM. Pretreatment with HEZA significantly down-regulated the expression of AChE, NFκB, Tau, Bax, and Caspase-3 with simultaneous up-regulation of Nrf2, HO-1, PP2A, BDNF, and TrkB genes in the hippocampal tissues similar to tacrine when compared with scopolamine-treated rats. Pretreatment with HEZA attenuated scopolamine-induced elevation of TNF-α, IL-1 ß, levels in hippocampus and reversed diminished IL-10 concentrations towards normal levels in the brain. CONCLUSION: Zanthoxylum alatum seeds could probably counteract amnesia. Since its use is mainly reported as a stimulant and tonic, this novel activity could be a boon for the scientists to explore more in this direction.
Assuntos
Amnésia/tratamento farmacológico , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/uso terapêutico , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Zanthoxylum , Acetilcolinesterase/genética , Amnésia/induzido quimicamente , Amnésia/metabolismo , Animais , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Fator Neurotrófico Derivado do Encéfalo/metabolismo , Citocinas/metabolismo , Heme Oxigenase (Desciclizante)/genética , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Masculino , Aprendizagem em Labirinto/efeitos dos fármacos , Fator 2 Relacionado a NF-E2/genética , NF-kappa B/genética , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/toxicidade , Fitoterapia , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Extratos Vegetais/toxicidade , Proteína Fosfatase 2/genética , Ratos Wistar , Receptor trkB/metabolismo , Escopolamina , Sementes , Testes de Toxicidade Aguda , Proteína X Associada a bcl-2/metabolismo , Proteínas tau/genéticaRESUMO
Drymaria cordata hydroethanolic extract (DCHE) at 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg (p.o.) was administered to study anxiolytic effect. Different models for anxiolytic activity viz. Hole board, Open field, Elevated plus maze, Light/dark exploration model were used. In the hole board model, there was dose dependent and significant increase in the numbers of head pokes and the time of head dipping in the treated groups in comparison to the vehicle. In open field test, the number of rearing, assisted rearing and numbers of squares traversed increased significantly. Similarly, in elevated plus maze test, there was significant increase in the time spent and number of entries in open arm as compared to the time spent and number of entries in closed arm in dose dependent manner. In light/dark exploration test, another model for anxiolytic activity, the time spent in lit box, number of crossing and the latency period increased significantly with reduction in time spent in dark box after treatment with DCHE. The presence of phytochemicals viz. triterpenes, diterpenes, steroids and tannins might contribute to its anxiolytic activity.
