BR-16A protects against ECS-induced anterograde amnesia.

Abstract

BR-16A is an herbal (non allopathic) medication used in India to enhance cognition. In experiment 1, 28 Wistar rats received either BR-16A (200 mg/kg/day) or vehicle alone for 3 weeks. During the third week, the rats were tested for learning in the Hebb Williams complex maze. BR-16A-treated rats showed significantly better learning than did controls. Experiment 2 was conducted identically except that during the second week all of 32 rats additionally received six once-daily electroconvulsive shocks (ECS). An advantage for learning was again demonstrated for the BR-16A group. It is concluded that BR-16A facilitates learning, and that this effect extends to a protection against ECS-induced anterograde amnesia. Cognitive deficits induced by electroconvulsive therapy are a major disadvantage of the treatment and, to-date, no drug has been found to offer satisfactory protection against such deficits. It is suggested that BR-16A may hold promise in the containment of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)-induced cognitive compromise.

• Authors: J Joseph, B V Venkataraman, M A Rani, C Andrade
• Journal: Biological psychiatry (Biol Psychiatry) Vol. 36 Issue 7 Pg. 478-81 (Oct 01 1994) ISSN: 0006-3223 [Print] United States
• PMID: 7811845 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Mentat
• Plant Extracts
• Psychotropic Drugs

Topics

• Amnesia (etiology, physiopathology, prevention & control)
• Analysis of Variance
• Animals
• Disease Models, Animal
• Electroconvulsive Therapy (adverse effects)
• Male
• Plant Extracts (therapeutic use)
• Psychotropic Drugs (therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar