Improving Effect of the Policosanol from <i>Ericerus pela</i> Wax on Learning and Memory Impairment Caused by Scopolamine in Mice
Long Sun,
Xian Li,
Chenjing Ma,
Zhao He,
Xin Zhang,
Chengye Wang,
Min Zhao,
Jin Gan,
Ying Feng
Affiliations
Long Sun
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Xian Li
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Chenjing Ma
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Zhao He
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Xin Zhang
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Chengye Wang
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Min Zhao
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Jin Gan
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Ying Feng
Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China
Policosanol (PC) is a mixture of long-chain fatty alcohols that exhibits multiple biological activities, such as reducing blood lipid and cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure, and extenuating liver inflammation. To assess PC’s impact on cognitive behavior and function, PC was prepared from Ericerus pela wax using a reduction method and analyzed using gas chromatography (GC). A total of 60 mice were randomly divided into six groups of 10 animals each: control (0.5% CMC-Na solution, i.g.), model (0.5% CMC-Na solution, i.g.), donepezil (3 mg/kg, i.g.), PC low- (2 g/kg, i.g.), medium (4 g/kg, i.g.), and high- (6 g/kg, i.g.) dose groups. All the groups were administered daily for 28 consecutive days. There were four parameters—escape latency, crossings of platform, swimming distance, and time spent in the target quadrant—that were recorded to evaluate the cognitive performance of mice in the Morris Water Maze (MWM). After MWM testing, the levels of acetylcholine (ACh), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) that were present in brain tissue were determined using assay kits. The GC data showed that PC consisted of four major components: tetracosanol (14.40%), hexacosanol (48.97%), octacosanol (25.40%), and triacontanol (4.80%). In the MWM test, PC significantly decreased the escape latency (p p p p E. pela wax is likely to exert an enhancing effect on learning and memory by promoting the cholinergic system and attenuating oxidative stress, which will provide a new insight into the efficacy of PC and expand its application in the food, nutraceutical, and beverage industries.
