Effect of standardized extract of Marsilea minuta on learning and memory performance in rat amnesic models

Figures & data

Table 1.  Effect of EMM on transfer latency in elevated plus maze test in rats.

Treatment	Dose (mg/kg)	Transfer Latency (s)
		Day 3	Day 4	Day 11
Vehicle (12)	–	41.69 ± 2.52	43.22 ± 4.37	40.12 ± 7.61
EMM (6)	200	40.31 ± 2.53	39.37 ± 2.99	43.43 ± 4.55
EMM (6)	400	40.06 ± 4.52	31.98 ± 2.13^b	44.21 ± 2.65
Piracetam (6)	500	44.55 ± 3.38	13.08 ± 4.98^a,b	12.39 ± 2.64^a,b
Vehicle + Scp (12)	± 1	44.21 ± 3.78	58.35 ± 3.08^a,b	50.19 ± 4.20^a,b
EMM + Scp (6)	200 + 1	43.44 ± 3.16	34.99 ± 3.03^a,bb	24.53 ± 2.92^a,bb
EMM + Scp (6)	400 + 1	42.92 ± 2.79	34.02 ± 2.50^a,bb	23.88 ± 3.15^a,bb
Piracetam+ Scp (6)	500 + 1	40.57 ± 4.01	24.07 ± 2.90^a,bb	23.66 ± 1.81^a,bb
Vehicle +ECS (12)	–	46.92 ± 9.12	71.8 ± 8.87^a,b	78.59 ± 10.70^a,b
EMM + ECS (6)	200	45.12 ± 4.12	32.10 ± 3.53^a,bb	29.60 ± 1.17^a,bb
EMM + ECS (6)	400	47.55 ± 3.48	30.44 ± 2.04^a,bb	28.33 ± 4.11^a,bb
Piracetam+ ECS (6)	500	38.19 ± 5.81	23.74 ± 1.88^a,bb	21.99 ± 1.25^a,bb

Transfer latency to enter into one of the enclosed arm was measured in elevated plus maze at day 3, 4 and 11. Values in parenthesis indicate number of animal used.

ECS, electro convulsive shock; EMM, ethanol extract of Marsilea minuta; Scp, scopolamine.

^ap < 0.05 compared with day 1. ^bp < 0.05 and ^bbp < 0.05 compared with vehicle and vehicle+ amnesic agent respectively.

Table 2.  Effect of EMM on transfer latency in passive avoidance test (step through latency) in rats.

Treatment	Dose (mg/kg)	Transfer latency (s)
		Day 3	Day 4	Day 11
Vehicle (12)	–	23.89 ± 2.31	29.88 ± 1.97	23.31 ± 1.65
EMM (6)	200	20.94 ± 1.94	22.43 ± 1.91	23.13 ± 3.6
EMM (6)	400	22.19 ± 2.01	28.32 ± 1.86^a	26.65 ± 1.18^a,b
Piracetam (6)	500	22.79 ± 1.57	41.79 ± 1.47^a,b	32.47 ± 2.93^a,b
Vehicle + Scp (12)	± 1	22.69 ± 1.85	21.68 ± 1.25^b	18.64 ± 0.98 ^b
EMM + Scp (6)	200 + 1	19.87 ± 1.75	23.64 ± 1.58^a, bb	22.65 ± 1.33^a,bb
EMM + Scp (6)	400 + 1	18.65 ± 0.94	25.69 ± 1.97^a,bb	23.24 ± 1.79^a,bb
Piracetam+ Scp (6)	500 + 1	21.70 ± 2.25	31.02 ± 1.31^a,bb	29.75 ± 1.81^a,bb
Vehicle +ECS (12)	–	20.89 ± 1.19	19.98 ± 1.62^b	20.98 ± 0.74^b
EMM+ ECS (6)	200	21.62 ± 1.94	27.21 ± 1.89^a,bb	24.56 ± 1.64^bb
EMM+ ECS (6)	400	20.74 ± 1.32	29.42 ± 1.25^a,bb	27.58 ± 1.49^a,bb
Piracetam+ ECS (6)	500	22.92 ± 1.73	32.23 ± 2.96^a,bb	31.69 ± 2.30^a,bb

Latency to enter into dark chamber was measured at day 3, 4 and 11 in a light and dark apparatus. Values in parenthesis indicate number of animal used.

ECS, electro convulsive shock; EMM, ethanol extract of Marsilea minuta; Scp, scopolamine.

^ap < 0.05 compared with day 1. ^bp < 0.05 and ^bbp < 0.05 compared with vehicle and vehicle+ amnesic agent respectively.

Table 3.  Effect of EMM on AChE activity in rat brain regions.

Treatment	Dose (mg/kg)	AChE activity (μmoles of substrate hydrolysed / min / g tissue)
		Frontal cortex	Hippocampus	Hypothalamus
Vehicle	–	9.25 ± 1.05	10.69 ± 1.65	15.72 ± 2.43
EMM	200	7.19 ± 0.87^a	7.89 ± 0.75^a	13.86 ± 2.37
EMM	400	6.57 ± 0.52^a	6.68 ± 0.46^a	11.27 ± 2.11^a

Acetylcholinesterase activity was measured in frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and whole brain content. n = 5 for each treatment group.

AChE, Acetylcholinesterase; EMM, ethanol extract of Marsilea minuta.

^ap < 0.05 compared with vehicle-treated group.

Table 4.  Effect of EMM on cholinergic-muscarinic receptors in rat brain regions.

Treatment	Dose (mg/kg)	Specific binding (pmoles bound/ g protein)
		Frontal cortex	Hippocampus
Vehicle	–	725 ± 74.67	128 ± 13.71
EMM	200	975 ± 21.96^a (+34)	162 ± 24.63 (+26)
EMM	400	1015 ± 35.31^a (+40)	164 ± 32.09 (+28)

Radioligand receptor binding study for cholinergic-muscarinic receptor was studied in rat frontal cortex and hippocampus. n = 5 for each group. Values in parenthesis indicate percentage change of receptor binding with respect to vehicle-treated group. EMM, ethanol extract of Marsilea minuta. ^ap < 0.05 compared with vehicle-treated group.