Centella asiatica (L.) Leaf Extract Treatment During the Growth Spurt Period Enhances Hippocampal CA3 Neuronal Dendritic Arborization in Rats

Abstract

Centella asiatica (CeA) is a creeping plant growing in damp places in India and other Asian countries. The leaves of CeA are used for memory enhancement in the Ayurvedic system of medicine, an alternative system of medicine in India. In this study, we have investigated the effect during the rat growth spurt period of CeA fresh leaf extract treatment on the dendritic morphology of hippocampal CA3 neurons, one of the regions of the brain concerned with learning and memory. Neonatal rat pups (7 days old) were fed with 2, 4 or 6 ml kg−1 body weight of fresh leaf extract of CeA for 2, 4 or 6 weeks. After the treatment period the rats were killed, their brains were removed and the hippocampal neurons were impregnated with silver nitrate (Golgi staining). Hippocampal CA3 neurons were traced using a camera lucida, and dendritic branching points (a measure of dendritic arborization) and intersections (a measure of dendritic length) were quantified. These data were compared with data for age-matched control rats. The results showed a significant increase in the dendritic length (intersections) and dendritic branching points along the length of both apical and basal dendrites in rats treated with 4 and 6 ml kg−1 body weight per day of CeA for longer periods of time (i.e. 4 and 6 weeks). We conclude that the constituents/active principles present in CeA fresh leaf extract have a neuronal dendritic growth stimulating property; hence, the extract can be used for enhancing neuronal dendrites in stress and neurodegenerative and memory disorders.

THE EFFECTS OF ETHANOL EXTRACTS OF Centella asiatica LEAF ON SERIAL SERUM BRAIN DERIVED NEUROTROPHIN FACTOR (BDNF) CONCENTRATION OF RATS (SPRAGUE DAWLEY) FOLLOWING CHRONIC STRESS

“…Asiaticoside is also reported function as a dementiatreating agent (Kumar et al,2011). In the previous studies using Centella asiatica as substance to ameliorate cognitive and memory function, the data was based on brain morphological improvement after treatment, such as enhancement of neuronal dendrites in growth 164 spurt rats (Mohandas et al,, 2006;Mohandas et al, 2009), the thickness of pyramidal layer in CA1 hippocampus (Sari eet al, 2012), and alteration of amyloid ² pathology in the brain of Alzheimer's disease animal models (Dhanasekaran et al, 2009). Centella asiatica was also proven to modulate components of the oxidative stress response in neurodegenerative mice (Kumar et al, 2011).…”

Botanical Pharmacognosy of Centella asiatica (Linn.)Urban

“…Data on many recent experimental studies have scientifically validated the traditional uses of the extract of Mandukaparni. These findings endorse that the plant having multiple therapeutic potentials, which were amply and vividly demonstrated by different animal models such as wound-healing model in rat, [10][11] streptozocin-induced Alzheimeir's model 12 , zebrafish Parkinson's model, 13 adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy model, 14 nitroglycerine and bradykinin induced hyperalgesia (migraine) model, 15 radiationinduced dermatitis model, memory impairment induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion 16 and also having anxiolytic, 17 neuronal dendritic growth and nerve stimulating effects, 18 suppression of scars in diabetic patients, 19 and reverse mutation assay for non-toxicity, safety and nonmutagenicity of the extract, 20 protection of healthy cells against radiationinduced damages. 21 However, the botanical standards specified for evaluation of intact plant material of Centella asiatica in literature [22][23][24][25] seemed to be too scanty and not exhaustive enough to extricate the crude raw materials from the adulterants and substitutes.…”

Asiatic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene from Centella asiatica, is neuroprotective in a mouse model of focal cerebral ischemia

“…It is being used in Ayurvedic preparations to improve learning and memory (Zheng and Qin, 2007). Published data suggest that the plant extract has nootropic effects (Rao et al, 2005), protects the brain from age-related oxidative damage (Subathra et al, 2005), and promotes nerve growth and neuronal dendritic arborization (Mohandas et al, 2006). …”