Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior
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Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. · Sep 2010
Icariin isolated from Epimedium brevicornum Maxim attenuates learning and memory deficits induced by d-galactose in rats.
The effects of icariin (ICA), a major constituent of flavonoids from the Chinese medical herb Epimedium brevicornum Maxim, on spatial memory performances and expressions of hippocampus brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase TrkB (tropomyosin receptor kinase B) were investigated in d-galactose (d-gal)-treated rats. Subcutaneous injection of d-gal (500mg/kg/d) for four months caused memory loss as detected by the Morris water maze, morphologic abnormalities of neurons in hippocampus region and the reduced expression of BDNF and TrkB were observed. ⋯ But ICA had no significant influence on normal rats which were not injected d-gal. These results clearly demonstrated that d-gal produced learning and memory deficits after chronic administration, and ICA can protect neuron from d-gal insults and improve the memory loss.