Asiatic acid derivatives enhance cognitive performance partly by improving acetylcholine synthesis
Abstract
Thirty-six semi-synthesized derivatives of asiatic acid were examined to determine if they had cognitive-enhancing activity in a passive avoidance test. Among the compounds tested, AS-2, AS-2-9-006 and AS-9-006 significantly alleviated scopolamine-induced memory impairment at doses of 1 and 10 mg kg(-1). Furthermore, AS-2 and AS-2-9-006 (1 mg kg(-1) administered four times daily) enhanced cognitive performance as determined in a water maze test. These three asiatic acid derivatives did not show any significant effect on the learning process in active avoidance tests. AS-2, AS-2-9-006 and AS-9-006 enhanced cholineacetyltransferase activity in a cholinergic neuroblastoma cell line, S-20Y, in-vitro. Therefore, AS-2, AS-2-9-006 and AS-9-006 may have therapeutic value in alleviating certain memory impairment observed in dementia.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Asiatic acid and its derivatives have shown a promising memory improving effect by improving acetylcholine synthesis.
“Asiatic acid and its derivatives have shown a promising memory improving effect [65] by improving ACh synthesis [66,67].”
From Indian Medicinal Herbs and Formulations for Alzheimer’s Disease, from Traditional Knowledge to Scientific Assessment (2020) · cites this paper as [66]
Various asiatic acid derivatives demonstrate significant cognitive-enhancing activities in a scopolamine-induced model of memory impairment.
“Various asiatic acid derivatives, as some of the most common phytochemicals found in C. asiatica, demonstrated significant cognitive-enhancing activities when utilizing a scopolamine-induced model of memory impairment [135].”
From The Multifaceted Role of Neuroprotective Plants in Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment (2022) · cites this paper as [135]
Pretreatment with three differing asiatic acid derivatives significantly enhanced memory in comparison to scopolamine-treated mice that were not given any derivatives.
“Utilizing the Morris water maze test and passive avoidance, the study demonstrated that pretreatment with three differing asiatic acid derivatives significantly enhanced memory in comparison to the scopolamine-treated mice that were not given any derivatives [135].”
From The Multifaceted Role of Neuroprotective Plants in Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment (2022) · cites this paper as [135]
The improvement in cognition in treated mice was attributed to elevated choline acetyltransferase activity, yielding enhanced acetylcholine synthesis.
“The improvement in cognition witnessed in the treated mice was attributed to elevated choline acetyltransferase activity, yielding enhanced acetylcholine synthesis [135].”
From The Multifaceted Role of Neuroprotective Plants in Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment (2022) · cites this paper as [135]
Cites
PROTEIN MEASUREMENT WITH THE FOLIN PHENOL REAGENT
Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N., Farr, A. L., & Randall, R. (1951) · Journal of Biological Chemistry · doi:10.1016/s0021-9258(19)52451-6 · Cited by 315,771 · see citing works
A new and rapid colorimetric determination of acetylcholinesterase activity
Ellman, G. L., Courtney, K. D., Andres, V., & Featherstone, R. M. (1961) · Biochemical Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/0006-2952(61)90145-9 · Cited by 27,221 · see citing works
Developments of a water-maze procedure for studying spatial learning in the rat
Morris, R. (1984) · Journal of Neuroscience Methods · doi:10.1016/0165-0270(84)90007-4 · Cited by 7,180 · see citing works
A rapid radiochemical method for the determination of choline acetyltransferase
Fonnum, F. (1975) · Journal of Neurochemistry · doi:10.1111/j.1471-4159.1975.tb11895.x · Cited by 2,358 · see citing works
The cholinergic hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease: A review of progress
Francis, P. T., Palmer, A. M., Snape, M., & Wilcock, G. K. (1999) · Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry · doi:10.1136/jnnp.66.2.137 · Cited by 2,198 · cited 2× · see citing works
“The most consistent features of Alzheimer’s disease are cholinergic deficits (Francis et al 1999; Frolich 2002) including: (i) decreased numbers of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain nuclei; (ii) decreased acetylcholine (ACh) production; (iii) enhanced levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE);…”
BackgroundMethodThe septohippocampal pathway: structure and function of a central cholinergic system.
Dutar, P., Bassant, M. H., Senut, M., & Lamour, Y. A. (1995) · Physiological Reviews · doi:10.1152/physrev.1995.75.2.393 · Cited by 339 · see citing works
Drug Action on The Electrical Activity of The Hippocampus
Stumpf, C. (1965) · International review of neurobiology · doi:10.1016/s0074-7742(08)60756-4 · Cited by 303 · see citing works
Whishaw, I. Q. (1985) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037//0735-7044.99.5.979 · Cited by 266 · see citing works
CHOLINERGIC ‘BLOCKADE’ AS A MODEL FOR CHOLINERGIC DEPLETION
Kopelman, M. D., & Corn, T. H. (1988) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/111.5.1079 · Cited by 258 · see citing works
Whishaw, I. Q. (1985) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/0735-7044.99.5.979 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Whishaw, I. Q., O'Connor, W. T., & Dunnett, S. B. (1985) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/0166-4328(85)90023-3 · Cited by 238 · see citing works
Pharmacologic treatments of dementia
Bonner, L. T., & Peskind, E. R. (2002) · Medical Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/s0025-7125(02)00007-x · Cited by 225 · see citing works
Lahiri, D. K., Farlow, M. R., Sambamurti, K., Greig, N. H., Giacobini, E., & Schneider, L. S. S. (2003) · Current Drug Targets · doi:10.2174/1389450033346957 · Cited by 185 · see citing works
Increased cognitive sensitivity to scopolamine with age and a perspective on the scopolamine model
Molchan, S. E., Martínez, R. A., Hill, J., Weingartner, H. J., Thompson, K., Vitiello, B., & Sunderland, T. (1992) · Brain Research Reviews · doi:10.1016/0165-0173(92)90017-g · Cited by 184 · see citing works
Decursin from Angelica gigas mitigates amnesia induced by scopolamine in mice
Kang, S. Y., Lee, K. Y., Park, M. J., Kim, Y. C., Markelonis, G. J., Oh, T. H., & Kim, Y. C. (2002) · Neurobiology of Learning and Memory · doi:10.1016/s1074-7427(02)00007-2 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Self-citationPharmacotherapy for Alzheimer's disease: progress and prospects
Palmer, A. M. (2002) · Trends in Pharmacological Sciences · doi:10.1016/s0165-6147(02)02056-4 · Cited by 117 · see citing works
Asiatic acid derivatives protect cultured cortical neurons from glutamate-induced excitotoxicity.
Mk, L., Kim, Sung, S. H., Lím, D., Kim, H., Choi, H. J., Hk, P., Je, S., & Yc, K. (2000) · PubMed · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Protopine from Corydalis ternata has Anticholinesterase and Antiamnesic Activities
Kim, S. R., Hwang, S. Y., Jang, Y. P., Park, M. J., Markelonis, G. J., Oh, T. H., & Kim, Y. C. (1999) · Planta Medica · doi:10.1055/s-1999-13983 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Self-citationFrölich, L. (2002) · Journal of Neural Transmission · doi:10.1007/s007020200083 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Cholinergic activation of the electrocorticogram: an amygdaloid activating system
Dringenberg, H. C., & Vanderwolf, C. H. (1996) · Experimental Brain Research · doi:10.1007/bf00228101 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Internalization and Down-regulation of Human Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor m2 Subtypes
Tsuga, H., Kameyama, K., Haga, T., Honma, T., Lameh, J., & Sadée, W. (1998) · Journal of Biological Chemistry · doi:10.1074/jbc.273.9.5323 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Jew, S., Yoo, C., Lim, D., Kim, H., Mook‐Jung, I., Jung, M. W., Choi, H., Jung, Y. H., Kim, H., & Park, H. (2000) · Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters · doi:10.1016/s0960-894x(99)00658-7 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Self-citationMedicinal Plant Extracts for the Treatment of Dementia
Mantle, D., Pickering, A. T., & Perry, E. K. (2000) · CNS Drugs · doi:10.2165/00023210-200013030-00006 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Day, L. B., & Schallert, T. J. (1996) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037//0735-7044.110.5.998 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Day, L. B., & Schallert, T. J. (1996) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/0735-7044.110.5.998 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Jackson, J. J., & Soliman, M. R. I. (1995) · Life Sciences · doi:10.1016/0024-3205(95)02254-6 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Choline Uptake by Mouse Brain Capillary Endothelial Cells in Culture
Sawada, N., Takanaga, H., Matsuo, H., Naito, M., Tsuruo, T., & Sawada, Y. (1999) · Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology · doi:10.1211/0022357991773050 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
The Effect Of Centella Asiatica On The General Mental Ability Of Mentally Retarded Children
Rao, V. R. A., Srinivasan, K., & Rao, T. K. G. (1977) · Indian Journal of Psychiatry · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Shannon, H. E., Sheardown, M. J., Bymaster, F. P., Calligaro, D. O., DeLapp, N. W., Gidda, J. S., Mitch, C. H., Sawyer, B. D., Stengel, P. W., Ward, J. S., et al. (1997) · Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics · doi:10.1016/s0022-3565(24)36645-5 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Iwase, T., Ojika, K., Matsukawa, N., Nishino, H., Yamamoto, T., Okada, H., Fujimori, O., & Ueda, R. (2001) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/s0306-4522(00)00495-4 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Cholinergic strategies in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Davidson, M., Stern, R. G., Bierer, L. M., Horvath, T., Zemishlany, Z., Markofsky, R., & Mohs, R. C. (1991) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1991.tb03109.x · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Riekkinen, P., Ikonen, S., & Riekkinen, M. (1998) · Neuroreport · doi:10.1097/00001756-199811160-00016 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Jew, S., Lim, D., Seo, S. K., Nam, T. G., Park, H., Kim, H., Kim, C. M., Lee, M. H., Paik, H. G., Lee, M. J., et al. (1998) · Archives of Pharmacal Research · doi:10.1007/bf02976781 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Neuroprotective Herbs for the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease
Gregory, J., Vengalasetti, Y. V., Bredesen, D. E., & Rao, R. V. (2021) · Biomolecules · doi:10.3390/biom11040543 · Cited by 238 · see citing works
Meeran, M. F. N., Goyal, S. N., Suchal, K., Sharma, C., Patil, C. R., & Ojha, S. K. (2018) · Frontiers in Pharmacology · doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.00892 · Cited by 199 · see citing works
Divino da Rocha, M., Pereira Dias Viegas, F., Cristina Campos, H., Carolina Nicastro, P., Calve Fossaluzza, P., Alberto Manssour Fraga, C., J. Barreiro, E., & Viegas, C. (2011) · CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets · doi:10.2174/187152711794480429 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Pharmacological Review on Asiatic Acid and Its Derivatives: A Potential Compound
Lv, J., Sharma, A., Zhang, T., Wu, Y., & Ding, X. (2018) · SLAS TECHNOLOGY · doi:10.1177/2472630317751840 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Balakrishnan, R., Azam, S., Cho, D.-Y., Su-Kim, I., & Choi, D. (2021) · Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity · doi:10.1155/2021/6680935 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
Mehla, J., Gupta, P., Pahuja, M., Diwan, D., & Diksha, D. (2020) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci10120964 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
“Asiatic acid and its derivatives have shown a promising memory improving effect [65] by improving ACh synthesis [66,67].”
BackgroundAsiatic acid protects primary neurons against C2-ceramide-induced apoptosis
Zhang, X., Wu, J., Dou, Y., Xia, B., Rong, W., Rimbach, G., & Lou, Y. (2012) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2012.01.006 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Alzheimer's disease: Molecular aspects and treatment opportunities using herbal drugs
Thakral, S., Yadav, A., Singh, V., Kumar, M., Kumar, P., Narang, R., Sudhakar, K., Verma, A., Khalilullah, H., Jaremko, M., et al. (2023) · Ageing Research Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.arr.2023.101960 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Welbat, J. U., Sirichoat, A., Chaijaroonkhanarak, W., Prachaney, P., Pannangrong, W., Pakdeechote, P., Sripanidkulchai, B., & Wigmore, P. M. (2016) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu8050303 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Sirichoat, A., Chaijaroonkhanarak, W., Prachaney, P., Pannangrong, W., Leksomboon, R., Chaichun, A., Wigmore, P. M., & Welbat, J. U. (2015) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu7105401 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Lee, K. Y., Bae, O., Serfozo, K., Hejabian, S., Moussa, A., Reeves, M. J., Rumbeiha, W. K., Fitzgerald, S. D., Stein, G., Baek, S., et al. (2012) · Stroke · doi:10.1161/strokeaha.111.639427 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Centella asiatica water extract inhibits iPLA2 and cPLA2 activities in rat cerebellum
Barbosa, N. R., Pittella, F., & Gattaz, W. F. (2008) · Phytomedicine · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2008.02.007 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Lu, Y., Kan, H., Wang, Y., Wang, D., Wang, X., Gao, J., & Zhu, L. (2017) · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.taap.2017.11.023 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Lu, Y., Liu, S., Wang, Y., Wang, D., Gao, J., & Zhu, L. (2016) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2016.06.010 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Lü, C.-W., Lin, T., Pan, T., Wang, P., Chiu, K., Lee, M.-Y., & Wang, S. (2021) · Biomedicines · doi:10.3390/biomedicines9030284 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Self-citationZulkipli, N. N., Zakaria, R., Long, I., Abdullah, S. F., Muhammad, E. F., Wahab, H. A., & Sasongko, T. H. (2020) · Molecules · doi:10.3390/molecules25173991 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
The Multifaceted Role of Neuroprotective Plants in Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment
Zieneldien, T., Kim, J., & Cao, C. (2022) · Geriatrics · doi:10.3390/geriatrics7020024 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
“Scopolamine was utilized because it yields transient memory deficiencies analogous to the early stages of AD [135].”
BackgroundResultInfluentialAsiatic acid and its derivatives: Pharmacological insights and applications
Liang, C., Ma, Y., Ding, M., Gao, F., Yu, K., Wang, S., Qu, Y., Hu, X., & Li, D. (2025) · European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2025.117429 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Boonyarattanasoonthorn, T., Kongratanapasert, T., Maiuthed, A., Hamlin, R. L., Kijtawornrat, A., & Khemawoot, P. (2022) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-24935-7 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Hamid, K., Ng, I. O., Tallapragada, V. J., Váradi, L., Hibbs, D. E., Hanrahan, J. R., & Groundwater, P. W. (2016) · Chemical Biology & Drug Design · doi:10.1111/cbdd.12766 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.: ethnomedicinal uses and their scientific validations.
Jahan, R., Hossain, S., Seraj, S., Nasrin, D., Khatun, Z., Das, P. R., Islam, M. T., Ahmed, I., & Rahmatullah, M. (2012) · AMERICAN-EURASIAN JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Microbial transformation of asiatic acid
Guo, F.-F., Feng, X., Chu, Z.-Y., Li, D.-P., Zhang, L., & Zhang, Z. (2012) · Journal of Asian Natural Products Research · doi:10.1080/10286020.2012.741124 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Varada, S., Chamberlin, S. R., Bui, L., Brandes, M. S., Gladen-Kolarsky, N., Harris, C., Hack, W. R., Neff, C. J., Brumbach, B. H., Soumyanath, A., et al. (2025) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu17040729 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Dong, X., Wang, T., Gao, C., Cui, Y., & Li, L. (2025) · Molecules · doi:10.3390/molecules30183688 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Halder, T., Patel, B., & Acharya, N. S. (2022) · Pharmaceutical Research · doi:10.1007/s11095-022-03428-2 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Halder, T., Saha, B., Dhas, N. L., Acharya, S. R., & Acharya, N. S. (2024) · Drug Development Research · doi:10.1002/ddr.22146 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Wang, C., Yang, R., Zhang, B., RongXia, Q., & Liu, H. (2020) · Journal of Inclusion Phenomena and Macrocyclic Chemistry · doi:10.1007/s10847-020-01026-6 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Yuliani, S., Akbar, M. F., Rochmafihro, N., Uthary, Y., & Deslaila, L. (2021) · INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY · doi:10.22146/ijp.1134 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Chakraborty, S., & Sinha, A. (2023) · Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development · doi:10.22270/ajprd.v11i4.1302 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Wiart, C. (2014) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-398373-2.00002-9 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
BindingDB (2026) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2wm1kc7
- Authors
- Kim, S. R., Koo, K. A., Lee, M. K., Park, H.-G., Jew, S.-S., Cha, K.-H., & Kim, Y. C.
- Affiliations
- Seoul National University (KR)
- DongKook Pharmaceutical (South Korea) (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Kim, Young Choong
- Venue
- Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2004-10-01
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1275-1282
- ISSN
- 0022-3573 (ISSN-L)
- 2042-7158
- OpenAlex
- W2061622878
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model (vor)
- Locations
- Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Seoul National University Open Repository (Seoul National University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Keywords
- cognitive enhancement, acetylcholine synthesis, choline acetyltransferase, memory impairment, scopolamine-induced amnesia, passive avoidance, water maze, dementia, cholinergic drugs
- MeSH terms
- Acetylcholine, Amnesia, Animals, Avoidance Learning, Cricetulus, Dementia, Cricetinae, Male, Memory, Mice, Inbred ICR, Scopolamine, Transfection, Triterpenes, CHO Cells, Nootropic Agents, Maze Learning, Cell Line, Tumor, Mice, Pentacyclic Triterpenes
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review