The effects of Zibu Piyin Recipe components on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in the mouse.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Zibu Piyin Recipe (ZBPYR) is derived from Zicheng Decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine formula recorded in the book of Bujuji, written by Wu Cheng in the Qing dynasty and used for clinical treatment of amnesia. Our aim was to study the effects of Zibu Piyin Recipe (ZBPYR) fractions on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in the mouse.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Crude extracts were prepared using various solvents, and individual fractions produced following D101 macroporous resin column chromatography. The passive avoidance task, step down test and Morris water maze test were then performed in mice for the evaluation of learning and memory alterations. The effective fractions were then analyzed using GC-MS and polysaccharide measurement methods, respectively.

RESULTS: The treatment group latency for the alcohol precipitation from water part (EP) and 95% ethanol part (95%E) following D101 macroporous resin column chromatography was significantly prolonged when compared to that of the scopolamine treated groups for both the passive avoidance task and step down test. In the Morris water maze tests, treatment with EP and 95%E resulted in a significantly shorter escape latency time (from the fourth day and the second day) and swimming distance (on the third day and from the third day) in scopolamine-induced mice. In the memory retention test, treatment with EP and 95%E dramatically shortened the latency to cross platform location and increased the numbers of platform location crosses in the scopolamine-induced mice. The polysaccharide content in EP was determined to be 69.79%. The 95%E was found to mainly contain asarone, α-cadinol, isocalamendiol, 2,4,7,14-tetramethyl-4-vinyl-tricyclo[5.4.3.0(1,8)]tetradecan-6-ol, 3-isopropyl-6,7-dimethyltricyclo[4.4.0.0(2,8)]decane-9,10-diol, 2-methyl-9-(prop-1- -en-3-ol-2-yl)-bicyclo[4.4.0]dec-2-ene-4-ol, diepicedrene-1-oxide, 7-methoxy-6-(3- -methyl-2-oxobutyl)-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one and diisooctyl phthalate when assessed using GC-MS analysis.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the polysaccharide and volatile oil present in ZBPYR exhibit ameliorating effects on scopolamine-induced memory dysfunction.