Planta Med 2011; 77(13): 1525-1527
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1270746
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Letters
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Arctigenin Isolated from the Seeds of Arctium lappa Ameliorates Memory Deficits in Mice

In-Ah Lee1 , Eun-Ha Joh1 , Dong-Hyun Kim1
  • 1Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
Further Information

Publication History

received October 30, 2010 revised December 29, 2010

accepted January 16, 2011

Publication Date:
09 February 2011 (online)

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.

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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

Phone: +82 29 61 03 74

Fax: +82 29 57 50 30

Email: dhkim@khu.ac.kr

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