Aqueous Extract of Radix Codonopsis-Poria cocos-Glycyrrhizae Radix Improves the Learning and Memory Functions in Mice through Activating the Cholinergic Signaling Pathway
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Abstract:
This research thoroughly investigated the mechanism of action for the aqueous extract of Chinese medicine Radix Codonopsis-Poria cocos-Glycyrrhizae Radix to ameliorate the learning and memory impairment in mice. The mice were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, and Radix Codonopsis-Poria cocos-Glycyrrhizae Radix treatment groups (10, 20, 40 g/kg) and a positive drug group (donepezil, 1.5 mg/kg), with 10 mice for each group and 30 days of administration without interruption (10 mL/(kg•d)). The learning and memory impairment model was established by the intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine hydrobromide (2 mg/kg for 5 days). The behavioral changes of the mice were examined by the Morris water maze test, and the ACh and AChE levels in the hippocampal tissues of mice were evaluated by ELISA. The protein expression or phosphorylation related to the cholinergic signaling pathway were determined by Western blotting. The results showed that compared with the model group, the high-dose (40 g/kg) mice crossed the platform 5.48 times more, with their time in the third quadrant increased by 17.41% and the distance in the third quadrant increased by 14.39% in the Morris water maze test. The levels of ACh and AChE in the mouse hippocampal tissues of the middle dose group increased by 29% and decreased by 13.7%, respectively. The levels of Ach and AchE in the hippocampus of high-dose mice increased by 26%and decreased by 11.9% (p<0.05), respectively; The expression of α7-nAChR, CaMK Ⅱ, p-ERK1/2, p-CREB proteins in the hippocampus of medium- and high- dose mice increased significantly. These results suggest that the aqueous extract of Radix Codonopsis-Poria cocos-Glycyrrhizae Radix can ameliorate learning and memory impairments in mice, and its mechanism of action may be related to the activation of the cholinergic synaptic signaling pathway in the hippocampus and up-regulating the expression of related proteins. This research provides a research foundation for ameliorating learning and memory impairments using traditional Chinese medicine resources such as Radix Codonopsis, Poria cocos and Glycyrrhizae Radix, and a research direction for the development of the authentic medicinal material, Lu Codonopsis, in Shanxi province.
