Involvement of Nitric Oxide System of Dorsal Hippocampus on Harman Induced-amnesia in the Passive Avoidance Test

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

1 Instructor, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Garmsar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semnan, Iran.

3 Student of Pharmecy, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

4 Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Young Researchers Club, Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

5 Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: β-carbolines alkaloids such as Harmane have been found in common plant-derived foodstuffs such as wheat, rice, corn, barley, grape and mushrooms. These alkaloids have many cognitive effects including alteration short and long term memory. In the present study, the effect of intra-CA1 injection of nitric oxide agonist and antagonist on amnesia induced by Harmane was examined in mice.Methods: In this experimental study 305 adult male NMRI mice were used. Mice were anaesthetized and cannulae implanted bilaterally in the CA1 regions of the dorsal hippocampus using stereotaxic method. One week after cannulae implantation, mice trained in a step-down type inhibitory avoidance task, and tested 24 h after training to measure step-down latency as a scale of memory.Finding: Pre-training systemic injection of Harmane induced amnesia. Pre-test intra-dorsal hippocampal injection of L-arginine (8 µg/mouse) or L-NAME (10 and 15 µg/mouse) potentiate and reverse amnesia induced by pre-training Harmane, respectively, but pretraining injection of L-arginine or L-NAME 5 min before Harmane could not block Harmane amnesia.Conclusion: The finding in this study indicated that exist complex interaction between nitric oxide system of dorsal hippocampus and amnesia induced by Harmane.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 29, Issue 137 - Serial Number 137
March and April 2011
Pages 505-517

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History

  • Receive Date: 21 November 2010
  • Revise Date: 07 May 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

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