Open AccessA botanical drug composed of three herbal materials attenuates the sensorimotor gating deficit and cognitive impairment induced by MK‐801 in mice
Author(s) -
Koo Bokyung,
Bae Ho Jung,
Goo Nayeon,
Kim Jaehoon,
Kim Jihyun,
Cai Mudan,
Jung In Ho,
Cho Kyungnam,
Jung Seo Yun,
Chang Suk Woo,
Jang Dae Sik,
Ryu Jong Hoon
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 2042-7158
pISSN - 0022-3573
DOI - 10.1111/jphp.13199
Subject(s) - prepulse inhibition , pharmacology , open field , medicine , prefrontal cortex , psychology , neuroscience , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , cognition , psychiatry
Objectives A botanical drug derived from the ethanolic extract composed of Clematis chinensis Osbeck (Ranunculaceae), Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz (Cucurbitaceae) and Prunella vulgaris Linné (Lamiaceae) has been used to ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis as an ethical drug in Korea. In our study, we investigated the effect of this herbal complex extract (HCE) on schizophrenia‐like behaviours induced by MK‐801. Methods HCE (30, 100 or 300 mg/kg, p.o) was orally administered to male ICR mice to a schizophrenia‐like animal model induced by MK‐801. We conducted an acoustic startle response task, an open‐field task, a novel object recognition task and a social novelty preference task. Key findings We found that a single administration of HCE (100 or 300 mg/kg) ameliorated MK‐801‐induced abnormal behaviours including sensorimotor gating deficits and social or object recognition memory deficits. In addition, MK‐801‐induced increases in phosphorylated Akt and GSK‐3β expression levels in the prefrontal cortex were reversed by HCE (30, 100 or 300 mg/kg). Conclusions These results imply that HCE ameliorates MK‐801‐induced dysfunctions in prepulse inhibition, social interactions and cognitive function, partly by regulating the Akt and GSK‐3β signalling pathways.