Puerarin protects against damage to spatial learning and memory ability in mice with chronic alcohol poisoning

Abstract

We evaluated the effect of puerarin on spatial learning and memory ability of mice with chronic alcohol poisoning. A total of 30 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into model, puerarin, and control groups (n=10 each). The model group received 60% (v/v) ethanol by intragastric administration followed by intraperitoneal injection of normal saline 30 min later. The puerarin group received intragastric 60% ethanol followed by intraperitoneal puerarin 30 min later, and the control group received intragastric saline followed by intraperitoneal saline. Six weeks after treatment, the Morris water maze and Tru Scan behavioral tests and immunofluorescence staining of cerebral cortex and hippocampal neurons (by Neu-N) and microglia (by Ib1) were conducted. Glutamic acid (Glu) and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) in the cortex and hippocampus were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β were determined by ELISA. Compared with mice in the control group, escape latency and distance were prolonged, and spontaneous movement distance was shortened (P<0.05) by puerarin. The number of microglia was increased in both the cortex and hippocampal dentate gyrus (P<0.01), and neurons were reduced only in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (P<0.01) in puerarin-treated mice. In the model group, Glu and GABA levels decreased (P<0.05), and Glu/GABA, TNF-α, and IL-1β increased (P<0.01) with puerarin treatment, returning to near normal levels. In conclusion, puerarin protected against the effects of chronic alcohol poisoning on spatial learning and memory ability primarily because of anti-inflammatory activity and regulation of the balance of Glu and GABA.

Effects of alcoholic beverage treatment on spatial learning and fear memory in mice

“…After the 6-week treatment period, training was carried out for 5 days. The results revealed that escape latency was prolonged, compared with control mice [39]. The discrepancy between previous reports and the current results may have been caused by differences in the ethanol treatment method (free access drinking vs intraperitoneal injection) and/ or the different concentration of ethanol used.…”

Puerarin Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Ferroptosis via AMPK/PGC1α/Nrf2 Pathway after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rats

“…Early treatment with puerarin can effectively reduce oxidative stress damage and iron death after SAH. Previous studies showed that puerarin attenuated learning and memory impairments, as well as inhibiting oxidative-stress damage in an Alzheimer’s disease model [ 45 ] and chronic alcohol poisoning model [ 46 ]. Our study also found similar results.…”

Effects and mechanism of cerebroprotein hydrolysate on learning and memory ability in mice

“…Asparaginate (Asp) and Glu are excitatory amino acids and Gly and GABA are inhibitory amino acids, which play important roles in maintaining the balance of excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system (Luo et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2014). Changes in the level of central amino acids in AD, especially the imbalance between Glu and GABA, are key factors leading to neuron injury (Cui et al, 2015). In our study, cerebroprotein hydrolysate reduced the level of Glu and the ratio of Glu/GABA in the brain tissue of mice to regulate the Glu/GABA learning and memory regulation system and reduce the excitotoxicity of Glu, which may be one of the mechanisms through which cerebroprotein hydrolysate reduced the learning and memory impairment of the mice.…”