Dehydrocavidine attenuates d-galactose induced learning and memory impairment in rats.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Dehydrocavidine (DEH) is the major component of a plant corydalis saxicola Bunting, which is used to treat the patients with hepatic disorders, there is still no report about the effect of DEH on the brain disorder. In this study, the effect and mechanism of DEH on d-galactose (d-gala) induced learning and memory impairment in rats was investigated. METHODS: A learning and memory impairment rat model was employed by chronic intraperitoneal injection of d-gala and intragastric administration of DEH, then Morris water maze test was used to investigate the effect of DEH on learning and memory impairment, Golgi stain and biochemical methods, real time PCR were used to investigate underlying mechanism. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal injection of d-gala could induced severe learning and memory impairment in rats, intragastric administration of DEH could effectively attenuates these deficits. Golgi staining showed DEH supplementary could restored the density of spines to 5.7±1.16 spines per 10µm in the DEH+d-gala group (p<0.05). DEH supplementary administration reversed the lipid peroxides and restored the enzymes activities to reduce oxidative damage (p<0.05). DEH supplementary administration could reduced the production of NO and PGE2 and the mRNA expression of iNOS and COX-2 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DEH could attenuates d-gala induced learning and memory impairment in rats by enhancing synaptic plasticity, reducing oxidative damage and limiting the neuroinflammation.