[Effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on learning and memory impairment induced by beta-amyloid peptide(25-35) and its mechanism of action].

AIM: To study the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on the learning and memory impairment in mice induced by aggregated beta-AP(25-35). METHODS: Mice were administered Rg1(5, 10 mg.kg-1, i.p.) for 10 d and control mice received daily i.p. injections of saline after the intracerebroventricular injection of aggregated beta-AP(25-35). After the final treatment, passive avoidance and performance in the Morris water maze (MWM) were assessed. and the activity of cortical and hippocampal ChAT and AchE were detected after the final behavior test. RESULTS: Ginsenoside Rg1 (5, 10 mg.kg-1, i.p.) significantly ameliorated the learning and memory impairment induced by beta-AP(25-35). Rg1 (5, 10 mg.kg-1) decreased the latencies and swim distances of mice to reach a hidden platform and improved the corresponding changes in search strategies occurred in the Morris water maze, and Rg1 (10 mg.kg-1, i.p.), increased step-through latencies also. Biochemical analysis showed that Rg1 (5, 10 mg.kg-1, i.p.), prevented the cortical and hippocampal ChAT activity decline induced by beta-AP(25-35), and showed inhibition of the activity of AchE, although beta-AP(25-35) showed no effect on the cortical and hippocampal AchE activity. CONCLUSION: These data showed that ginsenoside Rg1 significantly improved the learning and memory impairment induced by beta-AP(25-35), and this effect could be attributed to its inhibition of AchE and increase of ChAT activity.