背景:积雪草(L.)Urban,是一种在印度次大陆具有丰富传统使用历史的药草。这种草药因其多种药用特性而受到重视,包括记忆增强剂,也作为皮肤病的民间治疗方法,伤口愈合和轻度利尿剂。
目的:衰老是生物系统中自然衰变的渐进和连续过程,包括大脑。这项工作旨在评估积雪草乙醇提取物(CAE)对大鼠年龄相关的认知障碍的有效性,以及潜在的机制。
方法:将大鼠分为五个不同的组,每组5只动物:幼鼠(3个月大的大鼠),中年(M-年龄)大鼠(13-14个月大),其余三组均为接受不同浓度CAE治疗的M龄大鼠,viz.,150、300和450mg/kgb.w.,口服42天。Y-迷宫,开放领域,新颖的物体识别,高架和迷宫测试用于评估动物行为。丙二醛(MDA),超氧化物歧化酶(SOD),和乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)测定;在大鼠大脑中进行H&E染色以评估生化和结构变化。CAE也进行了HPLC分析,体外抗氧化和抗胆碱能活性。在分子对接研究中,CAE的活性化合物与AChE和BuChE对接。
结果:结果表明,CAE治疗可改善行为表现;减弱与年龄相关的MDA含量增加,SOD,和AChE活性;并减少神经元损失。体外研究表明,CAE具有浓度依赖性的抗氧化和抗AChE活性。此外,CAE中存在的积雪酸和马德卡西酸及其与胆碱能酶的良好结合(计算机模拟)也表明了CAE的抗胆碱能作用。
结论:当前研究的结果表明,CAE的抗胆碱能和抗氧化作用归因于积雪酸和马德卡西酸的存在,它不仅可以提供神经保护,防止与年龄相关的认知能力下降,还可以逆转这种情况。
BACKGROUND: Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, is a medicinal herb with rich history of traditional use in Indian subcontinent. This herb has been valued for its diverse range of medicinal properties including memory booster, and also as a folk treatment for skin diseases, wound healing and mild diuretic.
OBJECTIVE: Aging is a gradual and continuous process of natural decay in the biological systems, including the brain. This work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ethanolic extract of Centella asiatica (CAE) on age-associated cognitive impairments in rats, as well as the underlying mechanism.
METHODS: Rats were allocated into five distinct groups of 5 animals each: Young rats (3 months old rats), middle-aged (m-aged) rats (13-14 months old), and the remaining three groups were comprised of m-aged rats treated with different concentrations of CAE, viz., 150, 300, and 450 mg/kg b. w., orally for 42 days. Y-maze, open field, novel object recognition, and elevated plus maze tests were used to assess animal behavior. The malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) assays; and H&E staining were done in the rat brain to assess the biochemical and structural changes. CAE was also subjected to HPLC analysis, in vitro antioxidant and anti-cholinergic activity. The active compounds of CAE were docked with AChE and BuChE in molecular docking study.
RESULTS: The results showed that CAE treatment improves behavioral performance; attenuates the age-associated increase in MDA content, SOD, and AChE activity; and reduces neuronal loss. In vitro study showed that CAE has concentration-dependent antioxidant and anti-AChE activity. Furthermore, the presence of Asiatic acid and Madecassic acid in CAE and their good binding with cholinergic enzymes (in silico) also suggest the anticholinergic effect of CAE.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the current study show that the anticholinergic and antioxidant effects of CAE are attributable to the presence of Asiatic acid and Madecassic acid, which not only provide neuroprotection against age-associated cognitive decline but also reverse it.