Novel cognitive improving and neuroprotective activities of Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow extract, BT-11

• Published in: Journal of neuroscience research Vol. 70; no. 3; pp. 484 - 492
• Main Authors: Park, Cheol Hyoung, Choi, Se Hoon, Koo, Ja-Wook, Seo, Ji-Heui, Kim, Hye-Sun, Jeong, Sung-Jin, Suh, Yoo-Hun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.11.2002
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; Amyloid beta-Peptides - antagonists & inhibitors; Amyloid beta-Peptides - toxicity; amyloid β protein; Animals; anticholinesterase; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cell Survival - physiology; Cells, Cultured; Cholinesterase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Cognition - drug effects; Cognition - physiology; Cognition Disorders - chemically induced; Cognition Disorders - drug therapy; Cognition Disorders - physiopathology; cognitive function; Disease Models, Animal; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists - pharmacology; excitotoxicity; Female; Fetus; Glutamic Acid - metabolism; Glutamic Acid - toxicity; Male; Memory - drug effects; Memory - physiology; Memory Disorders - chemically induced; Memory Disorders - drug therapy; Memory Disorders - physiopathology; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Phytotherapy - methods; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Polygala - chemistry; Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• ISSN: 0360-4012; 1097-4547
• DOI: 10.1002/jnr.10429

We carried out this study to search a new active constituent that had cognitive enhancing activity and low side effects from natural source. We found that the extract of dried root of Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow (BT‐11, 10 mg/kg, i.p.) could significantly reverse scopolamine‐induced cognitive impairments in rat, using a passive avoidance and a water maze test. We also investigated the effects of BT‐11 on neurotoxicity induced by glutamate (Glu) and toxic metabolites of amyloid precursor protein (APP) such as amyloid β protein (Aβ) and C‐terminal fragment of APP (CT) in primary cultured neurons of rat. The pretreatment of BT‐11 (0.5, 3, and 5 μg/ml) significantly reduced cell death induced by Glu (1 mM), Aβ (10 μM) and CT105 (10 μM) in a dose‐dependent manner. In addition, BT‐11 inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in a dose‐dependent and non‐competitive manner (IC50 value; 263.7 μg/ml). Our novel findings suggest the possibility that this extract may have some protective effects against neuronal death and cognitive impairments in Alzheimer's disease (AD), or other neurodegenerative diseases related to excitotoxicity and central cholinergic dysfunction. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.