<i>Poria cocos</i> (Schw.) Wolf, a Traditional Chinese Edible Medicinal Herb, Promotes Neuronal Differentiation, and the Morphological Maturation of Newborn Neurons in Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells
Xia Jiang,
Zhaotun Hu,
Xiaoyan Qiu,
Liming Wu,
Rong Zhou,
Yaoyao Yang,
Xiaoliang Xiang
Affiliations
Xia Jiang
Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua 418008, China
Zhaotun Hu
Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua 418008, China
Xiaoyan Qiu
Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua 418008, China
Liming Wu
Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua 418008, China
Rong Zhou
Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua 418008, China
Yaoyao Yang
Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua 418008, China
Xiaoliang Xiang
Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua 418008, China
Neurogenesis in the adult brain comprises the entire set of events of neuronal development. It begins with the division of precursor cells to form a mature, integrated, and functioning neuronal network. Adult neurogenesis is believed to play an important role in animals’ cognitive abilities, including learning and memory. In the present study, significant neuronal differentiation-promoting activity of 80% (v/v) ethanol extract of P. cocos (EEPC) was found in Neuro-2a cells and mouse cortical neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs). Subsequently, a total of 97 compounds in EEPC were identified by UHPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS. Among them, four major compounds—Adenosine; Choline; Ethyl palmitoleate; and L-(-)-arabinitol—were further studied for their neuronal differentiation-promoting activity. Of which, choline has the most significant neuronal differentiation-promoting activity, indicating that choline, as the main bioactive compound in P. cocos, may have a positive effect on learning and memory functions. Compared with similar research literature, this is the first time that the neuronal differentiation-promoting effects of P. cocos extract have been studied.
