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Neuroprotective effects of matrine on scopolamine-induced amnesia via inhibition of AChE/BuChE and oxidative stress

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Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of matrine (MAT) on scopolamine (SCOP)-induced learning and memory impairment. After successive oral administration of MAT to mice for three days at doses of 0.4, 2, and 10 mg/kg, we assessed improvements in learning and memory and investigated the mechanism of action of SCOP-induced amnesia. Donepezil at a dose of 3 mg/kg was used as a standard memory enhancer. MAT significantly improved SCOP-induced learning and memory impairment in novel object recognition and Y-maze tests at doses of 0.4, 2, and 10 mg/kg. Furthermore, MAT inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activities and decreased oxidative stress in the brain, as evidenced by increased total antioxidant capacity, total superoxide dismutase levels, and catalase activities as well as decreased malondialdehyde levels. Additionally, there was a significant negative correlation between the percentage of spontaneous alternation in the Y maze and AChE activity in the cortex and hippocampus. MAT ameliorated SCOP-induced amnesia by the inhibition of both AChE/BuChE activities and oxidative stress. This study provides further evidence to encourage the development of MAT as a drug for the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

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Abbreviations

Aβ:

amyloid-β

AChE:

acetylcholinesterase

Ach:

acetylcholine

AD:

Alzheimer’s disease

BuChE:

butyrylcholinesterase

CAT:

catalase

ChE:

cholinesterase

DON:

donepezil

MAT:

matrine

MDA:

malondialdehyde

NOR:

novel object recognition

Nrf2:

nuclear factor-E2 related factor-2

SCOP:

scopolamine

T-AOC:

total anti-oxidantant capacity

T-SOD:

total superoxide dismutase

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the grant from Shanxi Agricultural University Science and Technology Innovation Fund (2014YJ04), China.

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Correspondence to Kaiyue Sun.

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Animals’ use and disposal had been approved by the animal ethics committee of Shanxi Agricultural University.

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Sun, K., Bai, Y., Zhao, R. et al. Neuroprotective effects of matrine on scopolamine-induced amnesia via inhibition of AChE/BuChE and oxidative stress. Metab Brain Dis 34, 173–181 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-018-0335-y

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