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The major purpose of this study was to determine the effects of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod on cAMP-response element-binding protein phosphorylation in hippocampus and cerebral cortex in cognitively impaired aged rats. Based on Morris water maze, aged unimpaired and aged impaired rats were chosen from aged rats. Comparing with young and aged unimpaired animals, aged impaired rats exhibited significant reduction in hippocampal but not cortical cAMP-response element-binding phosphorylation states as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA and protein expressions, which were accompanied by decreased phosphorylation states of hippocampal extracellular signal-related kinase (42/44) and calcium calmodulin kinase IV. Lotus seedpod supplementation (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight intragastric administration) for 7 weeks significantly reversed all these declines happened in hippocampus except calcium calmodulin kinase IV phosphorylation levels. These results suggested that lotus seedpod might enhance cAMP-response element-binding-dependent transcription through the activation of extracellular signal-related kinase signalling pathway, which might contribute to its ameliorative effects on cognitive deficits in aged impaired animals.

The alleviative effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod (LSPC) on oxidative stress in various tissues was evaluated by determining the activities of the antioxidant enzymes and the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) in heart, liver, lung, kidney, skeletal muscle, and serum in aged rats. Aging led to antioxidant deficit in various tissues in this study, which is confirmed by remarkable increased lipid peroxidation, whereas the change patterns of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and GSH were diverse in various tissues of aged rats. LSPC treatment (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight) modified the activity of SOD, CAT, and GPx as well as GSH content alteration in these tissues, which reversed the age-related antioxidant deficit in aged rats. However, the regulatory patterns on the activities of these enzymes and GSH content by LSPC treatment were different according to the tissues in aged rats.

The major purpose of this study was to determine the effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod (LSPC) on the learning and memory impairments in cognitively impaired aged rats. Based on Morris water maze performance compared with young female rats, aged unimpaired (AU) and aged impaired (AI) rats were chosen from aged female rats. LSPC supplementation (50, 100 mg/kg BW, p.o.) for 7 weeks significantly improved learning and memory impairments in AI animals in the Morris water maze test, as evaluated by shortened escape latency and swimming distance. Aged rats had significantly declined antioxidant defense capacities and significantly increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation levels in hippocampus and cerebral cortex than young rats. Further, AI group had higher protein oxidation level compared with AU group. LSPC (50, 100 mg/kg BW, p.o.) significantly reversed the decline of antioxidant defense capacities and significantly reduced lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation levels in hippocampus and cerebral cortex of AI rats. In addition, LSPC significantly restored acetylcholine (ACh) contents and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in hippocampus and cerebral cortex of AI animals. The results of this study suggest that LSPC may play a useful role in the treatment of cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer's disease and aging.

The major purpose of this study was to determine the effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod (LSPC) on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) in mice. The capacities of memory and learning were evaluated by the Morris water maze and the step-down avoidance test. LSPC (50, 100, 150 mg/kg BW, p.o.) significantly reversed scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in the Morris water maze test, as evaluated by shortened escape latency and swimming distance. In the step-down avoidance test, LSPC (50, 100, 150 mg/kg BW, p.o.) treatment significantly reduced the number of errors and shortened latency compared with that of scopolamine. In addition, LSPC was also found to inhibit acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity. These results of this study suggest that LSPC may play a useful role in the treatment of cognitive impairment caused by AD and aging., (Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)