ISSN:
0378-8741
Language:
English
Titel der Quelle:
Journal of ethnopharmacology : an interdisciplinary journal devoted to bioscientific research on indigenous drugs
Publ. der Quelle:
Shannon : Elsevier Science Ireland
Angaben zur Quelle:
Vol. 180 (2016), p. 78-86
DDC:
610
Abstract:
This study investigates the cognitive enhancing effects of the plant Centella asiatica which is widely used Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of a water extract of the medicinal plant Centella asiatica (CAW) on cognitive ability as well as mitochondrial and antioxidant response pathways in vivo. Old and young C57BL/6 mice were treated with CAW (2mg/mL) in their drinking water. Learning and memory was assessed using Morris Water Maze (MWM) and then tissue was collected and gene expression analyzed. CAW improved performance in the MWM in aged animals and had a modest effect on the performance of young animals. CAW also increased the expression of mitochondrial and antioxidant response genes in the brain and liver of both young and old animals. Expression of synaptic markers was also increased in the hippocampus and frontal cortex, but not in the cerebellum of CAW-treated animals. These data indicate a cognitive enhancing effect of CAW in healthy mice. The gene expression changes caused by CAW suggest a possible effect on mitochondrial biogenesis, which in conjunction with activation of antioxidant response genes could contribute to cognitive improvement.
Note:
Copyright: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOI:
10.1016/j.jep.2016.01.013
URL:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26785167
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