Enhancement of Amygdaloid Neuronal Dendritic Arborization by Fresh Leaf Juice of Centella asiatica (Linn) during Growth Spurt Period in Rats

Abstract

Centella asiatica (CeA) is a creeping herb, growing in moist places in India and other Asian Countries. Ayurvedic system of medicine, an alternate system of medicine in India, uses leaves of CeA for memory enhancement. Here, we have investigated the role of CeA fresh leaf juice treatment during growth spurt period of rats on dendritic morphology of amygdaloid neurons, one of the regions concerned with learning and memory. The present study was conducted on neonatal rat pups. The rat pups (7-days-old) were fed with 2, 4 and 6 ml/kg body of fresh leaf juice of CeA for 2, 4 and 6 weeks. After the treatment period, the rats were killed, brains removed and amygdaloid neurons impregnated with Silver nitrate (Golgi staining). Amygdaloid neurons were traced using camera lucida and dendritic branching points (a measure of dendritic arborization) and intersections (a measure dendritic length) quantified. These data were compared with those of age-matched control rats. The results showed a significant increase in dendritic length (intersections) and dendritic branching points along the length of dendrites of the amygdaloid neurons of rats treated with 4 and 6 ml/kg body weight/day of CeA for longer periods of time (i.e. 4 and 6 weeks). We conclude that constituents/active principles present in CeA fresh leaf juice has neuronal dendritic growth stimulating property; hence it can be used for enhancing neuronal dendrites in stress and other 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).…”

Stereological analysis of the rat and monkey amygdala

“…Accordingly, the complexity of the dendritic arborization of amygdala neurons is greater in monkeys than in rats (Rai et al, 2005; Mohandas Rao et al, 2009). Indeed, assumption-based 2D Scholl analyses of amygdala neurons reported between 22 and 29 intersections (between dendrites and the concentric analysis circles centered on the soma) for neurons randomly selected in the rat amygdala (Rai et al, 2005; Mohandas Rao et al, 2009), and between 125 to 210 dendritic intersections for neurons randomly selected in the monkey amygdala (Herzog, 1982; see Altemus et al, 2005 for data on the dendritic arborization of pyramidal neurons in the CA1 field of the rat and monkey hippocampus). Taken together, these results suggest a greater complexity of amygdala networks that might contribute to a greater integration of inputs reaching the amygdala in primates.…”

Preparation and Evaluation of Phospholipid-Based Complex of Standardized Centella Extract (SCE) for the Enhanced Delivery of Phytoconstituents

“…However, oral treatments of piracetam (p<0.01), or CN (p<0.05) significantly increased the time spent in the target quadrant compared to the vehicle-treated aged animals, thus confirming the potential effect of Centella extract on memory as reported in earlier studies (37,38). Centella extract is known to improve the morphology and arborization of hippocampal neuronal dendrites (52,53). Moreover, its negative effect on reactive oxygen species and superoxide formation along with decrease in glutathione and activation of glutathione-Stransferase, have reportedly the key mechanisms involved in its nootropic action (37).…”