Effect of sauroine on memory retention
Vallejo, M.1, Ortega, M.1, Carlini, V.2, Rubiales de Barioglio, S.2 y Agnese, A.1
1Farmacognosia, Dpto. de Farmacia. Fac. de Cs. Qcas.- IMBIV- UNCórdoba. 2Dpto. de Farmacología. Fac. de Cs. Qcas. UNCórdoba. Medina Allende y Haya de la Torre, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba. marianaval@dqo.fcq.unc.edu.ar
Our previous in vivo experiments indeed that the alkaloid extract of Huperzia saururus facilitates long term memory retention. The main alkaloid present in this extract is sauroine, for which we have also demonstrated that reduces the threshold of the hippocampal long term potentiation generation. In further experiments in vivo, this alkaloid showed to modify memory retention at a concentration of 5 µg/mL.
According to these antecedents we decide to assay other concentrations of sauroine in order to determine the minimum concentration at which the alkaloid is active. Thus, the present study reports on the step-down test developed with 0.5 µg/mL and 1 µg/mL. Male rats of Wistar strain were used and the administered volume was 1 µL by intrahippocampal via.
The latency times (t) observed for animals treated with sauroine were 25,00±3,22 seg and 83,46±2,60 seg for 0.5 and 1 µg/mL, respectively whereas t for control animals was 15,00±2,38 seg. This results confirm the facilitation of memory retention by sauroine from 1 µg/mL onwards.
