Effects of chronic administration of huperzine A on memory in guinea pigs

Drug Chem Toxicol. 2002 Feb;25(1):9-24. doi: 10.1081/dct-100108469.

Abstract

Effects of subchronic administration of huperzine A, a cholinesterase inhibitor, on spatial memory were studied in guinea pig. Spatial memory was appreciated by the Morris water maze test. At a dose of 0.25 microgram/h, inhibiting 36% of blood AChE and 14-20% of central AChE, no effect on spatial learning was found. At a dose of 1 microgram/h, inhibiting 20% of blood AChE and 14-20% of central AChE, no memory impairment was found, on the other hand, a memory enhancing effect, limited to the first day was shown. It thus appears that subchronic administration of huperzine A did not induce deleterious effects on spatial memory.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / drug effects
  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Alkaloids
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / enzymology
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / drug effects
  • Memory / drug effects*
  • Sesquiterpenes / administration & dosage
  • Sesquiterpenes / blood
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • huperzine A
  • Acetylcholinesterase