Curcumin Enhances Neurogenesis and Cognition in Aged Rats: Implications for Transcriptional Interactions Related to Growth and Synaptic Plasticity

Background: Curcumin has been demonstrated to have many neuroprotective properties, including improvement of cognition in humans and neurogenesis in animals, yet the mechanism of such effects remains unclear. Methodology: We assessed behavioural performance and hippocampal cell proliferation in aged rats after 6- and 12-week curcumin-fortified diets. Curcumin enhanced non-spatial and spatial memory, as well as dentate gyrate cell proliferation as compared to control diet rats. We also investigated underlying mechanistic pathways that might link curcumin treatment to increased cognition and neurogenesis via exon array analysis of cortical and hippocampal mRNA transcription. The results revealed a transcriptional network interaction of genes involved in neurotransmission, neuronal development, signal transduction, and metabolism in response to the curcumin treatment. Conclusions: The results suggest a neurogenesis- and cognition-enhancing potential of prolonged curcumin treatment i

<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Mangal; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-GB">Panchagavya Ghrita</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Mangal; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-GB">, an Ayurvedic formulation attenuates seizures, cognitive impairment and oxidative stress in pentylenetetrazole induced seizures in rats</span>

446-451Panchagavya Ghrita (PG), according to Ayurvedic formulary of India (AFI), is used to treat epilepsy (apasmara), fever (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">jvara), mania (unmade) and jaundice (kamala). In the present study, we examined its effect on convulsions, oxidative stress and cognitive impairment in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced seizures in rats. PG @ 250, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg was administered orally for 7 days to male Wistar rats. On day 7, PTZ (60 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 2 h after the last dose of PG. Sodium valproate (300 mg/kg) was used as positive control. Latency to myoclonic jerks, clonus and generalized tonic clonic seizures (GTCS) were recorded for seizure severity. Cognitive impairment was assessed using elevated plus maze and passive avoidance tests. Malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione levels were measured in rat brain. The results have shown that pretreatment with PG @ 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg exhibited 16.6, 33.3, 50 and 100% protection against occurrence of GTCS. The pretreatment with PG has significantly improved cognitive functions and the oxidative stress induced by seizures demonstrating its protective effect against PTZ induced seizures, and further, use of PG as an anticonvulsant in Ayurvedic system of medicine.</span

Dataset for: Edaravone attenuates intracerebroventricular streptozotocin-induced cognitive impairment in rats

Alzheimer’s disease is a major cause of dementia worldwide. Edaravone, a potent free radical scavenger, is reported to be neuroprotective. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of chronic edaravone administration on intracerebroventricular-streptozotocin (ICV-STZ) induced cognitive impairment in male Wistar rats. Cognitive impairment was developed by single ICV-STZ (3 mg/kg) injection bilaterally on day 1. Edaravone (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg, orally, once daily) was administered for 28 days. Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests were used to assess cognitive functions at baseline and on days 14 and 28. ICV-STZ caused cognitive impairment as evidenced by increased escape latency and decreased time spent in target quadrant in the Morris water maze test and reduced retention latency in the passive avoidance test. STZ caused increase in oxidative stress, cholinesterases, inflammatory cytokines and protein expression of ROCK-II and decrease in protein expression of ChAT. Edaravone ameliorated the STZ-induced cognitive impairment. STZ-induced increase in oxidative stress and increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) were mitigated by edaravone. Edaravone also prevented STZ-induced increased protein expression of ROCK-II. Moreover, edaravone significantly prevented STZ-induced increased activity of cholinesterases in the cortex and hippocampus. The decreased expression of ChAT caused by STZ was brought towards normal by edaravone in the hippocampus. The results thus show that edaravone is protective against STZ-induced cognitive impairment, oxidative stress, cholinergic dysfunction and altered protein expressions. This study thus suggests the potential of edaravone as an adjuvant in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Alpha amyrin attenuates high fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats

This study investigated the effect of alpha-amyrin (a pentacyclic triterpene) on high-fructose diet (HFD)-induced metabolic syndrome in rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly distributed into different groups. Control group was fed normal rat chow diet, HFD group was fed HFD (60%; w/w) for 42 days. Pioglitazone (10 mg/kg, p.o. once daily) was used as a standard drug. Alpha amyrin was administered in three doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, orally; once daily along with HFD). Plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-C were estimated. Changes in blood pressure, oral glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance were measured. Hepatic oxidative stress as well as mRNA and protein levels of PPAR-Îą were analyzed. A significant increase in systolic blood pressure, plasma glucose, total cholesterol, plasma triglycerides and a significant decrease in HDL-C was observed in HFD rats as compared to control rats. Glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance were also significantly impaired with HFD. Alpha amyrin prevented these changes in a dose dependent manner. Hepatic oxidative stress as well as micro- and macrovesicular fatty changes in hepatocytes caused by HFD were also attenuated by alpha amyrin. Alpha amyrin preserved the hepatic mRNA and protein levels of PPAR-Îą which was reduced in HFD group. This study thus demonstrates that alpha amyrin attenuates HFD-induced metabolic syndrome in rats.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Attitude and opinion towards essential medicine formulary

Objective : The Delhi State Drug Policy was adopted in 1994 following which the first Essential Medicines List (EML) was developed in 1996. The Delhi State Essential Medicines Formulary was brought out in 1997. A need was felt to revise the formulary to match with the EML as the EML is renewed every 2 years. Materials and Methods : A survey was undertaken to elicit the opinions of the doctors practicing in the state on the usefulness of the formulary before revising and printing the updated version. The survey covered dispensaries, 10-20 bedded hospitals, 100-bedded hospitals and two tertiary care hospitals. Discussions were focused on questionnaires on attitudes toward adopting Essential Medicines Formulary using a 10-point scale. Results : Of the 200 doctors approached, only 90 doctors completed the questionnaire. Sixty-nine respondents (76.6%) had received the copy of the formulary. Most practitioners welcomed the formulary and were satisfied with the coverage and selection of the medicines. Most respondents (76.9%) agreed that a well-developed formulary would improve the quality of the public health care system, although they had reservations about the authority, relevance and effect on professional autonomy. Conclusion : About 74% of the respondents used the formulary in clinical practice as a source of medicine information, which makes its regular revision necessary