114E-6 |
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M. Y. Um, W. H. Choi, J. Y. Ahn, S. R. Kim, and T. Y. HA. Functional Food Research Division, Korea Food Research Institute, Seongnam Si, 463-746, South Korea Alzheimer's disease(AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss which is accompanied by degeneration of basal forebrain cortical cholinergic neurons. Histopathological hallmarks of AD are the appearance of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques, selective neuronal losses and synaptic degeneration in many areas involved in cognitive function. Neurotoxicity of beta-amyloid protein(ƒ"A), which is considered to be responsible for the pathogenesis of AD, has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. In other hands, Glycirrizhin has been used in China and Korea for a long time to treat allergic imflammation. Recent studies have demonstrated that Glycirrizhin has the antitumorigenic effect, antiatherosclerosis and antioxidants. This study was designed to investigate the effect of Glycirrizhin water extract (GWE) on cognitive deficits and oxidative stress induced by ƒ"A in mice. Mice were fed experimental diets containing varied amount (0, 0.5, 1.0%) of GWE for 4 weeks, and then administered a single intracerebroventricular injection of ƒ"A (25-35, 10ug/mouse). Behavioral changes of mice were evaluated by using of the passive avoidance and water maze test. We also examined the effects of GWE on lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activity in experimental mice. Step through latency of the ƒ"A-treated control group in passive avoidance test was significantly shorter than that of the PBS-treated normal group. The shorter step-through latency induced by ƒ"A was significantly reversed by GWE in dose dependant manner. In water maze, step through latency and error frequency of 1% GWE fed mice was decreased at the level of normal group. Activities of acetylcholinesterase in serum and brain of 1% GWE group were decreased compared to those of ƒ"A-control group. Supplementation of GWE lowered TBARS contents of brain in mice. Activities of glutathione peroxidase in brain of GWE supplemented mice were significantly increased compared to those of ƒ"A-control group. These results suggest that GWE has a protective effect against cognitive deficits induced by ƒ"-amyloid protein, and this effect of GWE may be mediated by antioxidant activity against oxidative stress in mice.
Session 114E, Nutraceuticals & Functional Foods: Bioactivity measurement and mechanism
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