Neuroprotective effect of Alpinia galanga (L.) fractions on Aβ(25–35) induced amnesia in mice

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2011-10, Vol.138 (1), p.85-91
• Main Authors: Hanish Singh, J.C., Alagarsamy, V., Diwan, Prakash V., Sathesh Kumar, S., Nisha, J.C., Narsimha Reddy, Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Acetylcholinesterase - metabolism; Alpinia; Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd; Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Alzheimer's disease; Amnesia - drug therapy; Amnesia - metabolism; Amnesia - pathology; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Animals; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Aβ(25–35); Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - drug effects; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Cell Membrane - pathology; Cognition - drug effects; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; General pharmacology; Male; Maze Learning - drug effects; Medical sciences; Memory - drug effects; Mice; Na+/K+-ATPase; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Nootropic Agents - pharmacology; Nootropic Agents - therapeutic use; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Rhizome; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase - metabolism
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.08.048

The rhizomes of Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd (Zingiberaceae), a ginger substitute for flavouring food was traditionally used as nervine tonic and stimulant. This investigation is designed to screen cognitive improvement of Alpinia galanga (AG) fractions in Alzheimer's type of amnesia in mice induced by Aβ(25–35). Alzheimer's disease induced mice treated with fractions (n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate) of AG in 200 and 400mg/kg. Neurotoxicity was induced by intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ(25–35) on the 14th day of 21 days drug treatment. Open field and water maze were carried to determine habituation memory and hippocampal memory. Na+/K+-ATPase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, catalase and vitamin C) were determined in brain tissue homogenate to estimate the brain biochemical changes and its anti-amnesic potential with intensity of oxidative stress signaling. Further bioactive (chloroform) fraction was eluted through column chromatography to identify the lead molecules. Increased habituation memory and decreased escape latency in behavioral parameter are the indicative of the cognitive enhancement after treatment with Alpinia galanga fractions. Increment in Na+/K+-ATPase and antioxidant activity depicts brain membrane integrity improvement and free radical scavenging property. AChE level was decreased to improve the cognition by enhancing cholinergic transmission. Anti-amnesic effect was exerted by various fractions of Alpinia galanga. Among all fractions, preeminent neuroprotection was exerted by chloroform fraction, which has compound, 1′δ-1′-acetoxyeugenol acetate and it may be a potential therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's type of amnesia. These results further motivate us to explore the activity of lead compound's anti-amnesic effect on transgenic mice model of AD.