PMID- 23749289 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20140521 LR - 20211021 IS - 1861-0293 (Electronic) IS - 1340-3443 (Linking) VI - 68 IP - 1 DP - 2014 Jan TI - Baicalin improves chronic corticosterone-induced learning and memory deficits via the enhancement of impaired hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cAMP response element-binding protein expression in the rat. PG - 132-43 LID - 10.1007/s11418-013-0782-z [doi] AB - The purpose of this study was to examine whether baicalin (BAI) improves spatial cognitive impairments induced in rats following the repeated administration of the exogenous stress hormone corticosterone (CORT). The effect of BAI on the hippocampal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) was also investigated. For 21 days, male rats received daily doses of BAI (20, 50, and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) 1 h prior to a CORT (40 mg/kg) injection. The daily administration of BAI improved memory impairment as measured by the passive avoidance test and reduced the escape latency for finding the platform in the Morris water maze test. Additionally, as assessed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, the administration of BAI also significantly alleviated memory-associated decreases in the expression levels of BDNF and CREB proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampus. These results demonstrate that the administration of BAI prior to high-dose exogenous CORT results in significant neuroprotective activity against neuronal impairment and memory dysfunction in rats. Thus, these findings suggest that BAI might be useful as a therapeutic agent in various neurodegenerative diseases for the improvement of cognitive function. This likely occurs through the regulation of BDNF and CREB expression. FAU - Lee, Bombi AU - Lee B AD - Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, Korea, bombi@khu.ac.kr. FAU - Sur, Bongjun AU - Sur B FAU - Shim, Insop AU - Shim I FAU - Lee, Hyejung AU - Lee H FAU - Hahm, Dae-Hyun AU - Hahm DH LA - eng PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't DEP - 20130608 PL - Japan TA - J Nat Med JT - Journal of natural medicines JID - 101518405 RN - 0 (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) RN - 0 (Flavonoids) RN - 0 (Neuroprotective Agents) RN - 0 (Nootropic Agents) RN - 0 (RNA, Messenger) RN - 347Q89U4M5 (baicalin) RN - EC 2.3.1.48 (CREB-Binding Protein) RN - EC 2.3.1.48 (Crebbp protein, rat) RN - W980KJ009P (Corticosterone) SB - IM MH - Animals MH - Avoidance Learning/*drug effects MH - Behavior, Animal/*drug effects MH - Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/genetics/metabolism/physiology MH - CREB-Binding Protein/genetics/metabolism/pharmacology MH - Cognition/drug effects MH - *Corticosterone/adverse effects MH - Flavonoids/*pharmacology MH - Hippocampus/*drug effects/metabolism/physiopathology MH - Male MH - Memory/*drug effects MH - Memory Disorders/chemically induced/*drug therapy/genetics/metabolism/physiopathology/psychology MH - Motor Activity/drug effects MH - Neuroprotective Agents/*pharmacology MH - Nootropic Agents/*pharmacology MH - RNA, Messenger/metabolism MH - Rats MH - Rats, Sprague-Dawley MH - Reaction Time/drug effects MH - Time Factors EDAT- 2013/06/12 06:00 MHDA- 2014/05/23 06:00 CRDT- 2013/06/11 06:00 PHST- 2012/11/20 00:00 [received] PHST- 2013/05/16 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2013/06/11 06:00 [entrez] PHST- 2013/06/12 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2014/05/23 06:00 [medline] AID - 10.1007/s11418-013-0782-z [doi] PST - ppublish SO - J Nat Med. 2014 Jan;68(1):132-43. doi: 10.1007/s11418-013-0782-z. Epub 2013 Jun 8.