Int Neurourol J.  2020 May;24(Suppl 1):S48-55. 10.5213/inj.2040154.077.

Effect of Glycyrrhizic Acid on Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Mice

• Ban JY
• Park HK
• Kim SK

• KMID: 2501360
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5213/inj.2040154.077

Abstract

Purpose
Cognitive impairment is one of the main symptoms of Alzheimer disease and other dementias. Glycyrrhiza uralensis is a natural product that has a protective effect against cognitive impairment. In this study, we investigated whether glycyrrhizic acid, among the main bioactive components of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, has a neuroprotective effect on scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment.
Methods
Twenty-week-old male Institute of Cancer Research mice were used in this study. The scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment mice model was used. Glycyrrhizic acid was orally administered to mice once daily for 21 days, while scopolamine (1 mg/kg) treatment was delivered 30 minutes before behavioral tests. Donepezil (2 mg/kg) was used as a positive drug control. To evaluate the effect of glycyrrhizic acid, the following assessments were performed on hippocampal tissue: Y-maze test, acetylcholinesterase activity, antioxidant enzymes’ activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase). Western blotting for phosphor-extracellular signal-regulated kinase, P38, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase was conducted.
Results
We found that glycyrrhizic acid administration significantly improved scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in the Y-maze test. The acetylcholinesterase activity, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity in the glycyrrhizic acid-treated group showed a significant reversal of cognitive impairment compared with the scopolamine-treated group.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that glycyrrhizic acid has a neuroprotective effect on cognitive function in scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment.

Keyword

Memory; Scopolamine; Glycyrrhizic acid