Korean J Physiol Pharmacol.  2009 Aug;13(4):315-319. 10.4196/kjpp.2009.13.4.315.

The Effects of Astragalus Membranaceus on Repeated Restraint Stress-induced Biochemical and Behavioral Responses

• Park HJ
• Kim HY
• Yoon KH
• Kim KS
• Shim I

• KMID: 2071687
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4196/kjpp.2009.13.4.315

Abstract

Astragalus Membranaceus (AM) is a useful Korean herb that has been clinically prescribed for stress-related illness. The objective of the present study was to examine the anti-stress effects of AM on repeated stress-induced alterations of anxiety, learning and memory in rats. Restraint stress was administered for 14 days (2h/day) and AM (400mg/kg) given by oral administration, in the AM group, for the same period. Starting on the eighth day, the rats were tested for spatial memory on the Morris water maze test (MW) and for anxiety on the elevated plus maze (EPM). Changes of expression on immunohistochemistry were studied for cholineacetyl transferase (ChAT) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the brain. The results showed that the rats treated with AM had significantly reduced stress-induced deficits on learning and memory on the spatial memory tasks. In addition, the ChAT immunoreactivities were increased. In the EPM, treatment with AM increased the time spent in the open arms (p<0.001) compared to the control group. In addition, AM treatment also normalized increases of TH expression in the LC (p<0.001). In conclusion, administration of AM improved spatial learning and memory and reduced stress-induced anxiety. Thus, the present results suggest that AM is able to recover behavioral and neurochemical impairments induced by stress.

Keyword

Astragalus Membranaceus; Morris water maze; Elevated plus maze

MeSH Terms

Administration, Oral
Animals
Anxiety
Arm
Astragalus membranaceus
Brain
Immunohistochemistry
Learning
Memory
Rats
Transferases
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
Transferases
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Time spent in the open and closed arms in the elevated plus maze maze. The AM group was daily treated with the AM extract (400 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks, and other groups were given sterile saline. Immobilization began 30 min after the treatments. The results of elevated plus maze maze were analyzed by performing separate one-way ANOVA among the groups were followed by LSD test. Each value represents the mean±S.E.M. ∗p<0.05, ∗∗∗p<0.001 compared to normal group and ++p<0.01, +++p<0.001 compared to control group, respectively.

• 

  Fig. 2. (A) Changes of the latency time during 6 d of the acquisition test in the Morris water maze test. The AM group was daily treated with the AM extract (400 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks, and other groups were given sterile saline. Immobilization began 30 min after the treatments. Repeated measures of two-way ANOVA of swimming time among the groups following by LSD test. Each value represents the mean±S.E.M. ∗∗p<0.01 compared to normal group. (B) The latency time on the 7th day of the retention test in the Morris water maze test. The AM group was daily treated with the AM extract (400 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks, and other groups were given sterile saline. Immobilization began 30 min after the treatments. The results of retention test were analyzed by performing separate measures of one-way ANOVA of swimming time among the groups were followed by LSD test. Each value represents the mean±S.E.M. +p<0.05 compared to control group.

• 

  Fig. 3. Number of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunostained nuclei in the different hippocampal areas of the experimental groups after 8 d of the behavior test. The AM group was daily treated with the AM extract (400 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks, and other groups were given sterile saline. Immobilization began 30 min after the treatments. The results of ChAT-reactivity were analyzed by performing separate one-way ANOVA of neurons among the groups were followed by LSD test. Each value represents the mean±S.E.M. ∗∗∗p< 0.001 compared to normal group and +++p<0.001 compared to control group.

• 

  Fig. 4. Number of Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunostained nuclei in the locus coerleus areas of the experimental groups. The AM group was daily treated with the AM extract (400 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks, and other groups were given sterile saline. Immobilization began 30 min after the treatments. The results of TH-reactivity were analyzed by performing separate one-way ANOVA of neurons among the groups were followed by LSD test. Each value represents the mean±S.E.M. ∗∗∗p<0.001 compared to normal group and +++p<0.001 compared to control group.

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