Protocatechuic Acid from Euonymus alatus Mitigates Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment in Mice

• Published in: Foods Vol. 13; no. 17; p. 2664
• Main Authors: Kim, Yoonsu, Cho, Minjung, Lee, Jeong Soon, Oh, Jisun, Lim, Jinkyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23.08.2024
• Subjects: 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine; Acids; Aging; Aging (artificial); Antioxidants; antioxidation; Avoidance learning; bioactive compounds; Body weight; Brain damage; Brain injury; Brain research; Dietary supplements; DNA damage; Enzymes; Hippocampus; Laboratory animals; Learning; Leaves; Maze learning; Memory; memory impairment; Memory tasks; Neurodegeneration; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neuroprotection; Oral administration; Oxidative stress; Population studies; Proteins; Protocatechuic acid; Scopolamine; United States > US; South Korea; bioactive compounds; antioxidation; memory impairment; neuroprotection; oxidative stress; protocatechuic acid
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods13172664

The increasing prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative disorders owing to the aging population worldwide poses substantial challenges. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of protocatechuic acid (PCA), a compound found in various fruits, vegetables, and grains, using a scopolamine-induced hypomnesia mouse model. Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were orally administered PCA at doses of 10 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day for two weeks, along with intraperitoneal injections of scopolamine. Learning and memory abilities were assessed using the passive avoidance, Morris water maze, and Y-maze behavioral assays. Biochemical analyses evaluated the levels of oxidative stress markers, including 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the blood and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the brain, as well as phase II antioxidant proteins in the hippocampus. Histological examination was conducted to determine hippocampal integrity. Our results demonstrated that PCA administration at 10 mg/kg body weight per day or higher for two weeks (i) significantly ameliorated scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments, as evidenced by improved performance in behavioral tasks, (ii) reduced plasma 8-OHdG levels and cerebral MDA levels in a dose-dependent manner, (iii) increased antioxidant protein expressions in the hippocampal tissue, and (iv) mitigated histological damage in the hippocampal region of the brain. These findings suggest that oral administration of PCA provides neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress-induced learning and memory impairments, possibly through upregulating antioxidant machinery. Therefore, PCA may serve as a promising dietary supplement for mitigating cognitive deficits associated with neurodegenerative diseases.