Abstract
Chronic diabetes mellitus initiates apoptosis and negatively affects synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus with ensuing impairments of learning and memory. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid, exhibits anti-diabetic, antioxidant and nootropic effects. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of berberine on hippocampal CA1 neuronal apoptosis, synaptic plasticity and learning and memory of streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. Long-term potentiation (LTP) in perforant path-dentate gyrus synapses was recorded for assessment of synaptic plasticity and field excitatory post-synaptic potential (fEPSP) slope and population spike (PS) amplitude. PS amplitude and fEPSP significantly decreased in diabetic group versus control, and chronic berberine treatment (100mg/kg/day, p.o.) restored PS amplitude and fEPSP and ameliorated learning and memory impairment and attenuated apoptosis of pyramidal neurons in the CA1 area, as determined by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling method. In summary, chronic berberine treatment of STZ-diabetic rats significantly ameliorates learning and memory impairment and part of its beneficial effect could be attributed to improvement of synaptic dysfunction and anti-apoptotic property.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Administration, Oral
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Animals
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Apoptosis / drug effects*
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Avoidance Learning / drug effects
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Avoidance Learning / physiology
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Berberine / administration & dosage
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Berberine / pharmacology*
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Berberine / therapeutic use
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CA1 Region, Hippocampal / drug effects
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CA1 Region, Hippocampal / metabolism
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CA1 Region, Hippocampal / pathology
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CA1 Region, Hippocampal / physiopathology
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Dentate Gyrus / drug effects
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Dentate Gyrus / metabolism
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Dentate Gyrus / pathology
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Dentate Gyrus / physiopathology
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Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / drug therapy*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / metabolism
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Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / pathology
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Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / physiopathology
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Electrophysiological Phenomena / drug effects
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Electrophysiological Phenomena / physiology
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Hippocampus / drug effects*
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Hippocampus / pathology
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Hippocampus / physiopathology
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Long-Term Potentiation / drug effects
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Long-Term Potentiation / physiology
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Male
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Maze Learning / drug effects
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Maze Learning / physiology
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Memory / drug effects*
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Memory / physiology
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Neuronal Plasticity / drug effects*
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Neurons / drug effects
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Neurons / metabolism
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Neurons / pathology
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Rats
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Rats, Wistar
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Spatial Behavior / drug effects
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Spatial Behavior / physiology
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Synapses / drug effects*
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Synapses / metabolism
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Synapses / pathology