Participation of the serotonergic system in the memory effects of <i>Ginkgo biloba</i> L. and <i>Panax ginseng</i> C. A. Mey

Petkov, V.; Belcheva, S.; Konstantinova, E; Kehayov, R; Hadjiivanova, Ch.

doi:10.1002/ptr.2650080807

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Published trials showing beneficial effects of ginseng include those of D' Angelo et al (1986), demonstrating improvements on motor performance, and Rosenfeld et al (1989), showing benefits on neuropsychological measures. Beneficial effects on memory have also been reported in animals (Petkov et al 1993(Petkov et al , 1994.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

The memory enhancing effects of a Ginkgo biloba/Panax ginseng combination in healthy middle-aged volunteers

Wesnes¹,

Ward²,

McGinty³

et al. 2000

Psychopharmacology

278

249

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The effects of capsules containing 60 mg of a standardised extract of Ginkgo biloba (GK501) and 100 mg of a standardised extract of Panax ginseng (G115) on various aspects of cognitive function were assessed in healthy middle-aged volunteers. A double blind, placebo controlled, 14 week, parallel group, repeated assessment, multi-centre trial of two dosing regimens, 160 mg b.i.d. and 320 mg o.d. was conducted. Two hundred and fifty-six healthy middle-aged volunteers successfully completed the study. On various study days (weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 and 14) the volunteers performed a selection of tests of attention and memory from the Cognitive Drug Research computerised cognitive assessment system prior to morning dosing and again, at 1, 3 and 6 h later. The volunteers also completed questionnaires about mood states, quality of life and sleep quality. The Ginkgo/ginseng combination was found significantly to improve an Index of Memory Quality, supporting a previous finding with the compound. This effect represented an average improvement of 7.5% and reflected improvements to a number of different aspects of memory, including working and long-term memory. This enhancement to memory was seen throughout the 12-week dosing period and also after a 2-week washout. This represents the first substantial demonstration of improvements to the memory of healthy middle-aged volunteers produced by a phytopharmaceutical.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

The memory enhancing effects of a Ginkgo biloba/Panax ginseng combination in healthy middle-aged volunteers

Wesnes¹,

Ward²,

McGinty³

et al. 2000

Psychopharmacology

278

249

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The present study showed that short-term administration of Ginkgo biloba extract at a dose previously shown to facilitate learning and memory processes in rats (Petkov et al 1993b;Petkov et al 1994) significantly decreased the number of b-adrenergic receptors in the frontal cerebral cortex and hippocampus. This finding is in agreement with the decreased density of b-adrenoreceptors observed in rat cerebral cortex after long-term treatment (27 days and 2 months) with Ginkgo biloba extract (Brunello et al, 1985;Racagni et al 1986).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…Thus, Ginkgo biloba extracts exert a complex pharmacological effect in vivo, i.e. an action on b-adrenergic (this study, Racagini et al, 1985), serotonergic (Petkov et al, 1994) and cholinergic (Taylor, 1986) neurotransmission. Finally, it might be suggested that modulation of different brain neurotransmitter systems is responsible for the cognition-enhancing effects of Ginkgo biloba since interactions between cholinergic, noradrenergic and serotonergic neurotransmission have been shown to play important roles in realizing learning and memory events (Wenk et al, 1987).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Short-term treatment increases serotonin levels in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, hypothalamus and pons of aged rats (Petkov et al 1993a) and decreases the density of serotonin 5-HT 1 binding sites in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of mature rats (Petkov et al 1994). A specific effect of Ginkgo biloba on the noradrenergic system and badrenoreceptors has been suggested (Brunello et al, 1985;Racagni et al 1986).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The involvement of serotonergic system in mediating the memory effects of Ginkgo biloba has been suggested (Petkov et al, 1994). Short-term treatment increases serotonin levels in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, hypothalamus and pons of aged rats (Petkov et al 1993a) and decreases the density of serotonin 5-HT 1 binding sites in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of mature rats (Petkov et al 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on β‐adrenergic receptors in different rat brain regions

Hadjiivanova

Petkov

2002

Phytotherapy Research

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The effect of oral administration of Ginkgo biloba extract at a dose of 90 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days on rat brain beta-adrenergic receptors in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and hypothalamus was studied. Ginkgo biloba treatment induced a significant decrease in the density (B(max)) of beta-adrenoreceptors in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. It has been suggested that modulation of the beta-adrenergic system is implicated in the favourable effects of Ginkgo biloba extracts on learning and memory.

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Non-ginsenoside nicotinic activity in ginseng species

Lewis

Wake²,

Court

et al. 1999

Phytother. Res.

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Amongst the many different therapeutic applications of ginseng are beneficial effects on age‐related cognitive impairments. Ageing in the brain is associated with a loss of nicotinic receptor binding and receptor stimulation increases binding. Stimulation of the CNS (central nervous system) nicotinic receptor is considered to be beneficial in relation to symptomatic treatment and neuroprotection in age‐associated cognitive disorders which involve a further receptor loss. We assessed Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolium and several chemical constituents of these plants for nicotinic activity based on displacement of 3H‐(−)nicotine from human brain cerebral cortex membranes in vitro. Dose‐dependent displacement was evident in crude ethanol extracts of Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolium. Assay of an extract of Panax ginseng showed the plant to have affinity for both the nicotinic receptor, and to a lesser extent the muscarinic receptor (IC50 2.12 mg/mL and 5.25 mg/mL respectively). Activity was largely conserved after the extraction of choline and other water soluble quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC), indicating that the activity of the plant extracts was not due to choline. Displacement binding assay of some purified chemical constituents, including a number of ginsenosides, showed that these were not primarily responsible for Panax activity. The active chemical constituent has yet to be identified, but the demonstrated nicotinic activity of ginseng warrants further investigation with reference to therapeutic activity in age‐related conditions such as dementia. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Participation of the serotonergic system in the memory effects of Ginkgo biloba L. and Panax ginseng C. A. Mey

Cited by 15 publications

References 17 publications

The memory enhancing effects of a Ginkgo biloba/Panax ginseng combination in healthy middle-aged volunteers

The memory enhancing effects of a Ginkgo biloba/Panax ginseng combination in healthy middle-aged volunteers

Effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on β‐adrenergic receptors in different rat brain regions

Non-ginsenoside nicotinic activity in ginseng species

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