Ameliorating effect of new constituents from the hooks of Uncaria rhynchophylla on scopolamine-induced memory impairment.
AIM
To study the chemical constituents and their anti-amnesic effect from the hooks of Uncaria rhynchophylla.


METHODS
The isolation of compounds was performed by chromatographic techniques and their structures were identified on the basis of spectral analysis. Their ameliorating effects on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in vivo using a Morris water-maze task and passive avoidance task system were evaluated.


RESULTS
Activity-guided fractionation of the total extracts resulted in the isolation of four constituents, trans-anethole (1), p-anisaldehyde (2), estragole (3), and 3-oxo-olean-12-en-28-oic acid (4), which were found for the first time from this plant.


CONCLUSION
Compound 1 exhibited a better memory enhancing effect than tacrine, a positive agent, at the same dose in the passive avoidance test and a similar property in the water-maze test, and its action may be mediated, in part, by the acetylcholine enhancing cholinergic nervous system.
['Shin|Suk-Chul|SC|', 'Lee|Dong-Ung|DU|']
D000818:Animals D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008568:Memory D008569:Memory Disorders D015394:Molecular Structure D010936:Plant Extracts D051381:Rats D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley D012601:Scopolamine D032070:Uncaria
Uncaria rhynchophylla Water-maze task Passive avoidance task Trans-anethole