Huperzia saururus, Activity on Synaptic Transmition in Hippocampus

ORTEGA MARÍA GABRIELA, VALLEJO MARIANA, CABRERA JOSÉ LUIS, PÉREZ MARIELA, ALMIRÓN ROMINA, RAMÍREZ OSCAR, AGNESE ALICIA MARIEL.

JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY

Elsevier

Año: 2006 vol. 104 p. 374 - 378

0378-8741

Huperzia saururus (cola de quirquincho) is used in folk medicine to improve memory. The cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain, including those in the medial septum, the vertical limbs of the diagonal band of Broca and the nucleus basalis of Meynert provide a major source of cholinergic enervation of the cortex and hippocampus. These neurons have also been shown to play an important role in learning and memory processes. Thus, the effects of this traditional Argentinean species were studied in relation to its activity on synaptic transmition in hippocampus. The alkaloid extract obtained first by decoction of aerial parts and by alkaline extraction after, was purified by using a Sephadex LH 20 packed column. Alkaloids present in the extract belong to the Lycopodane and Flabellidane groups all of them Lycopodium alkaloids. Electrophysiological experiments were developed with the purified extract (E2) on rat hippocampus slices, thus long term potentiation (LTP) was elicited.  Results show a marked increment in the hippocampal synaptic plasticity. The diminution of the threshold to generate LPT was 22 ± 1.01 Hz  in average for E2, while for controls it was 86 ± 0.92 Hz. All of these could explain the use of H. saururus as memory improver as it is reported in the ethnomedicine.      Indice de impacto (JCR, 2004) : 1,42