BT-11 improves stress-induced memory impairments through increment of glucose utilization and total neural cell adhesion molecule levels in rat brains.

Abstract

In Oriental medicine, roots of Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow have been known to be an important herb that exhibits sedative effects in insomnia, palpitation with anxiety, restlessness, and disorientation in humans. We previously reported that BT-11, extracted from those roots, improved scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats and inhibited acetylcholinesterase activities in vitro. Therefore, we proposed that BT-11 could remedy stress-induced memory deficits in rats. In this study, the stress-induced memory impairments in rats were significantly reversed almost to the control level by BT-11 treatment. To seek an active component of BT-11 that plays an important role in antipsychotic effects, we compared BT-11 with 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid (TMCA), which is a constituent of those root extracts. However, the effects of TMCA were less or were not consistent with those of BT-11 in some of tests. In particular, BT-11 reversed the stress-induced reduction of glucose utilization by [(18)fluorodeoxyglucose]FDG-PET and the levels of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in rat brains to the control levels, whereas TMCA did not. Therefore, BT-11 improved stress-induced memory impairments through increment of glucose utilization and total NCAM levels in rat brains. In conclusion, BT-11 may be strongly effective against stress-induced amnesia in rats, through the combined effects of TMCA and other active components of BT-11.

• Authors: Ki Young Shin, Beom Young Won, Chaejeong Heo, Hee Jin Kim, Dong-Pyo Jang, Cheol Hyoung Park, Seonghan Kim, Hye-Sun Kim, Young-Bo Kim, Hyung Gun Lee, Sang Hyung Lee, Zang-Hee Cho, Yoo-Hun Suh
• Journal: Journal of neuroscience research (J Neurosci Res) Vol. 87 Issue 1 Pg. 260-8 (Jan 2009) ISSN: 1097-4547 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 18712849 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Chemical References

• 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trimethoxycyclohexane
• Cyclohexylamines
• Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules
• Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
• Glucose

Topics

• Animals
• Avoidance Learning (drug effects)
• Brain (diagnostic imaging, drug effects, metabolism)
• Cyclohexylamines (therapeutic use)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Exploratory Behavior (drug effects)
• Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 (metabolism)
• Glucose (metabolism)
• Maze Learning (drug effects)
• Memory Disorders (drug therapy, etiology, pathology, physiopathology)
• Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules (metabolism)
• Phytotherapy (methods)
• Polygala (chemistry)
• Positron-Emission Tomography (methods)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Stress, Psychological (complications)