Zeatin prevents amyloid beta-induced neurotoxicity and scopolamine-induced cognitive deficits

J Med Food. 2009 Apr;12(2):271-7. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2007.0678.

Abstract

The antioxidative and protective effects of zeatin against amyloid beta-protein (Abeta)-induced neurotoxicity were investigated using PC12 cells. Zeatin showed antioxidative and cell protective effects against Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. In this study, we also evaluated the effect of zeatin on learning and memory capacity in vivo using ICR mice with amnesia induced by scopolamine (1 mg/kg of body weight). Zeatin, when administered to mice at 4.5 mg/kg of body weight, significantly ameliorated scopolamine-induced amnesia as measured in both the passive avoidance test and Y-maze test. Injecting mice with scopolamine impaired performance on the passive avoidance test (48 +/- 4.5% decrease) and on the Y-maze test (12 +/- 1.3% decrease). In contrast, mice treated with zeatin before scopolamine injections were protected from these changes (5-34% decrease in step-through latency; 1-4% decrease in alternation behavior). The present results suggest a possible chemopreventive role of zeatin in Alzheimer's disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / prevention & control
  • Amnesia / chemically induced
  • Amnesia / drug therapy*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / adverse effects*
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use*
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Cholinergic Antagonists / adverse effects
  • Cognition Disorders / prevention & control*
  • Learning / drug effects
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Memory / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Morus / chemistry
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes / drug therapy*
  • PC12 Cells
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Plant Leaves
  • Protective Agents / pharmacology
  • Protective Agents / therapeutic use
  • Rats
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Scopolamine / adverse effects
  • Zeatin / pharmacology
  • Zeatin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Antioxidants
  • Cholinergic Antagonists
  • Plant Extracts
  • Protective Agents
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Zeatin
  • Scopolamine