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Nodakenin Enhances Cognitive Function and Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Mice

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Abstract

In our previous study, we demonstrated that nodakenin, a coumarin compound isolated from Angelica decursiva, ameliorates learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine. In the present study, we investigated the effects of nodakenin on the cognitive function in the normal naïve mice in a passive avoidance task, and the results showed that nodakenin significantly increased the latency time in normal naïve mice. In addition, sub-chronic administration of nodakenin increased the number of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) region. The percentage of BrdU and NeuN (neuronal cell marker)-immunopositive cells was also significantly increased by the nodakenin administration. Western blotting results showed that the expression levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) were significantly increased in hippocampal tissue by sub-chronic nodakenin administration. These findings suggest that the sub-chronic administration of nodakenin enhances adult hippocampal neurogenesis in the DG region via Akt–GSK-3β signaling and this increase may be associated with nodakenin’s positive effect on cognitive processing.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) (2011-0010884) and a Grant (12172MFDS989) from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2013.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

      Qingtao Gao, Se Jin Jeon, Hyung Eun Lee, Se Jin Park, Younghwan Lee, Younghwa Lee, Sang Yoon Ko, Boseong Kim & Jong Hoon Ryu

    2. Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Kyunghee-daero 26, Dongdeamun-gu, Seoul, 130-701, Republic of Korea

      Jong Hoon Ryu

    3. Kyung Hee East–West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

      Qingtao Gao, Hyung Eun Lee, Se Jin Park, Younghwan Lee, Younghwa Lee, Sang Yoon Ko, Boseong Kim & Jong Hoon Ryu

    4. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea

      Hyun Ah Jung

    5. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea

      Jae Sue Choi

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    1. Qingtao Gao
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    Correspondence to Jong Hoon Ryu.

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    Qingtao Gao and Se Jin Jeon have contributed equally to this work.

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    Gao, Q., Jeon, S.J., Jung, H.A. et al. Nodakenin Enhances Cognitive Function and Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Mice. Neurochem Res 40, 1438–1447 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-015-1612-3

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