Protective effects of tetrahydropalmatine against ketamine-induced learning and memory injury via antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic mechanisms in mice.
Molecular medicine reports May 1, 2018 Yonglai Zhang, Rui Sha, Kaiguo Wang et al. 26 citations
Tetrahydropalmatine, a compound with known analgesic and other pharmacological effects, protected against ketamine-induced learning and memory impairment in mice. In the Morris water maze and open field tests, tetrahydropalmatine treatment reduced escape latency and increased platform site crossings. It also lowered oxidative stress, inflammation, and acetylcholinesterase activity, and decreased acetylcholine levels. The treatment suppressed iNOS, caspase-3, caspase-9, nuclear factor-κB, glial fibrillary acidic protein, cytochrome c, and phospholipase C-γ1 protein expression, while increasing glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor. These findings suggest tetrahydropalmatine may counteract ketamine's cognitive side effects through antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.