Pratensein attenuates Aβ-induced cognitive deficits in rats: Enhancement of synaptic plasticity and cholinergic function
Abstract
An isoflavone was isolated from Trifolium pratense using bioassay-guided screening. The structure of this natural compound was elucidated based on its spectral data, and it was identified as pratensein. The protective effect of pratensein was evaluated using a cognitive impairment model induced by injecting amyloid beta (1-42) (Aβ1-42) into the bilateral hippocampus of rats. The results showed that pratensein treatment significantly protected against Aβ1-42-induced cognitive impairments, as evidenced by the improvement in learning and memory and the attenuation of neuronal degeneration and apoptosis in hippocampus. Analysis of the potential mechanisms of action showed that pratensein significantly decreased inflammatory indicators such as MDA, NO, nNOS, IL-1β and TNF-α. Pratensein markedly decreased the content and deposition of β-amyloid peptide through regulating the expressions of Aβ-related genes including APP, BACE1, CatB, NEP and IDE. Moreover, pratensein significantly increased the expressions of synapse plasticity-related proteins, i.e., PSD-95, p-NMDAR1, p-CaMKII, p-PKACβ, PKCγ, p-CREB and BDNF. In addition, pratensein significantly decreased the activity of cholinesterase, then subsequently elevated the level of acetylcholine. In summary, our study indicated that pratensein may have a likely protective effect against Alzheimer's disease (AD) via improving synaptic plasticity and increasing cholinesterase activity.
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Pratensein considerably reduced the activity of the enzyme breakdown of acetylcholine.
“Additionally, pratenseinconsiderably reduced the activity of the enzyme breakdown of acetylcholine.”
From Phytotherapy: A promising approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (2022) · cites this paper as [91]
Preclinical studies show constituents from red clover can be useful in Aβ-causing cognitive insufficiencies in rats.
“and A 𝛽 causing cognitive insufficiencies in rats [91]”
From Phytotherapy: A promising approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (2022) · cites this paper as [91]
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- Authors
- Wei, L., Lv, S., Huang, Q., Wei, J., Zhang, S., Huang, R., Lu, Z., & Lin, X.
- Affiliations
- Guangxi Medical University (CN)
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- NYU Langone Health (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lin, Xing
- Venue
- Fitoterapia
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-03
- Volume
- 101
- Pages
- 208-217
- ISSN
- 0367-326X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2047597196
- Cited by
- 40
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 3.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- erratum (2022-03-01)
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Fitoterapia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (81260674, 81260505)
- Guangxi Natural Science Foundation (2013GXNSFAA019150, 2013GXNSFAA019146)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Keywords
- red clover, isoflavones, amyloid-beta 42, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive impairment, hippocampus, synaptic plasticity, cholinergic activity, neuroinflammation, neuronal apoptosis, BACE1, APP, acetylcholinesterase, acetylcholine, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, learning and memory
- MeSH terms
- Acetylcholinesterase, Alzheimer Disease, Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Hippocampus, Isoflavones, Male, Memory, Memory Disorders, Neuronal Plasticity, Peptide Fragments, Molecular Structure, Amyloid beta-Peptides, Rats, Wistar, Apoptosis, Cholinergic Agents, Neuroprotective Agents, Maze Learning, Trifolium
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