Schizandrin reverses memory impairment in rats

The present study investigated the effect of schizandrin, a component of the fruit of Schizandra chinesis Baill (Fructus Schizandrae), on memory impairment in rats. Scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), a non‐selective muscarinic receptor antagonist, markedly impaired spatial memory in an eight‐arm radial maze. A higher dose of scopolamine (3 mg/kg, i.p.) also impaired the passive avoidance response. Schizandrin (1 and 10 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reversed the scopolamine‐induced impairment of spatial memory. Similarly, schizandrin (1 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reversed the scopolamine‐induced impairment of the passive avoidance response. Moreover, in mice, schizandrin (1 and 10 mg/kg, p.o.) enhanced tremors induced by oxotremorine, a muscarinic M 1 receptor agonist. Taken together these findings suggest that schizandrin reverses scopolamine‐induced memory impairment, in part, by enhancing cholinergic function, and that schizandrin might be useful for treating memory deficits. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.