Effects of Puerarin on Scopolamine-, Mecamylamine-, p-Chloroamphetamine- and Dizocilpine-Induced Inhibitory Avoidance Performance Impairment in Rats

Abstract

Puerarin at 10 - 50 mg/kg attenuated the mecamylamine- but not scopolamine-induced acquisition impairment of inhibitory avoidance performance in an inverse U-shape manner. p-Chloroamphetamine- and dizocilpine-induced acquisition impairment were reversed by puerarin at 25 - 50 mg/kg. Both piracetam, and tacrine attenuated impairment of inhibitory avoidance performance induced by all used drugs. Furthermore, puerarin, piracetam and tacrine alone did not alter step-through latency in the training trail but puerarin at 50 mg/kg and tacrine plus mecamylamine prolonged it in comparison with mecamylamine alone. From these results, we suggest that puerarin attenuated the deficits of inhibitory avoidance performance induced by mecamylamine, p-chloroamphetamine, and dizocilpine, the effects were related to increasing cholinergic activity via nicotinic but not muscarinic receptors, activating NMDA receptors, and decreasing serotonergic neuronal activity.

Key words

Puerarin - Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi - Leguminosae - inhibitory avoidance task - scopolamine - mecamylamine - dizocilpine

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