Abstract
The seeds of Arctium lappa L. (AL, family Asteraceae), the main constituents of which are arctiin and arctigenin,
have been used as an herbal medicine or functional food to treat inflammatory diseases.
These main constituents were shown to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity.
Arctigenin more potently inhibited AChE activity than arctiin. Arctigenin at doses
of 30 and 60 mg/kg (p. o.) potently reversed scopolamine-induced memory deficits by
62 % and 73 %, respectively, in a passive avoidance test. This finding is comparable
with that of tacrine (10 mg/kg p. o.). Arctigenin also significantly reversed scopolamine-induced
memory deficits in the Y-maze and Morris water maze tests. On the basis of these findings,
arctigenin may ameliorate memory deficits by inhibiting AChE.
Key words
Arctium lappa
- Asteraceae - arctiin - arctigenin - memory
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Prof. Dr. Dong-Hyun Kim
Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmacy
Kyung-Hee University
1 Hoegi, Dongdaemun-ku
Seoul 130-701
Korea
Telefon: +82 29 61 03 74
Fax: +82 29 57 50 30
eMail: dhkim@khu.ac.kr
