Effects of puerarin on D-galactose-induced memory deficits in mice.
Abstract
AIM: To study the effects of puerarin on learning-memory behavior in aging mice
induced by D-galactose and to explore in-brain mechanism of its effects.
METHODS: The aging mice model were induced by sc D-galactose 0.12 g/kg daily for
6 weeks and meanwhile treated with three doses of puerarin once a day for 6
weeks. The spontaneous behavior and the learning-memory behavior were tested for
the aging mice using open field and Y-maze on the day after the last treatment.
Then the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the contents of
malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipofuscin in brain tissue were measured using
UV-photospectrometer and fluorospectrophotometer analysis system.
RESULTS: Compared with the D-galactose control group, puerarin 60 mg/kg was shown
to increase significantly the spontaneous behavior and explorative response in
the open field and improve remarkably the learning-memory ability of the aging
mice induced by D-galactose. The percentage of memory retention increased from 69
%+/-9 % to 79 %+/-6 %. Puerarin 30 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg promoted remarkably the
activity of SOD in the brain of the aging mice from (12.1+/-2.9) to (14.9+/-2.1)
and(15.5+/-2.7) U/g wet brain weight, respectively, and decreased significantly
the content of lipofuscin from (27+/-5) to (20+/-4) and (20+/-4) microg/g wet
brain weight, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Puerarin could improve the memory dysfunction produced by
D-galactose. Improvement of the antioxidase activity of brain in the aging mice
may be involved in this effect.
Keywords:
induced by D-galactose and to explore in-brain mechanism of its effects.
METHODS: The aging mice model were induced by sc D-galactose 0.12 g/kg daily for
6 weeks and meanwhile treated with three doses of puerarin once a day for 6
weeks. The spontaneous behavior and the learning-memory behavior were tested for
the aging mice using open field and Y-maze on the day after the last treatment.
Then the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the contents of
malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipofuscin in brain tissue were measured using
UV-photospectrometer and fluorospectrophotometer analysis system.
RESULTS: Compared with the D-galactose control group, puerarin 60 mg/kg was shown
to increase significantly the spontaneous behavior and explorative response in
the open field and improve remarkably the learning-memory ability of the aging
mice induced by D-galactose. The percentage of memory retention increased from 69
%+/-9 % to 79 %+/-6 %. Puerarin 30 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg promoted remarkably the
activity of SOD in the brain of the aging mice from (12.1+/-2.9) to (14.9+/-2.1)
and(15.5+/-2.7) U/g wet brain weight, respectively, and decreased significantly
the content of lipofuscin from (27+/-5) to (20+/-4) and (20+/-4) microg/g wet
brain weight, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Puerarin could improve the memory dysfunction produced by
D-galactose. Improvement of the antioxidase activity of brain in the aging mice
may be involved in this effect.