白朮對老化促進小白鼠學習記憶能力影響之研究

EFFECT OF ATRACTYLODIS RHIZOMA ON LEARNING AND MEMORY ABILITY IN SENESCENCE-ACCELERATED MICE

白朮（Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.）為補益良藥，具有益氣健脾、利尿及止瀉的作用。本研究目的在探討長期餵食白朮萃取物對2月齡及7月齡老化促進小白鼠（SAMP8）學習記憶能力及腦部病理變化之影響，並比較不同月齡間之差異。實驗結果顯示，無論2月齡組或7月齡組小白鼠，實驗期間體重變化、攝食量及活動量各組間均無顯著差異。在學習記憶能力方面，2月齡不論雄性或雌性被動迴避試驗，各組間均無顯著差異，但7月齡組小白鼠，則有顯著之差異（p < 0.05）；添加不同濃度白朮萃取物之實驗組，其學習記憶能力有呈現越佳的狀態。另外，經主動迴避試驗測試後發現，無論2月齡組或7月齡組小白鼠餵食添加0.5 %及1.0 %白朮萃取物，有較佳之學習記憶能力，而且腦中海馬迴空泡數及脂褐質堆積均有明顯的改善效果（p < 0.05）。本研究結果可以證實白朮萃取物具有改善學習記憶的作用。 _Baizhu, Rhizoma Atractylodis macrocephalae, is the dry rootstock of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (Asteraceae). It is listed officially in the Chinese pharmacopoeia and is recommended in traditional Chinese medicine as a digestive, diuretic and antihifrotic. In this project, we attempt to investigate the effect of Baizhu on learning and memory in two-month-old and seven-month-old senescence acceleration mice (SAM-P8) for 16 weeks. The locomotion, single-trial passive avoidance test and active shuttle avoidance test will be conducted and variation of brain histopathology will be observed. By the way, we obtained significant results of Baizhu extracts in senescence-accelerated mice. The effect doses are 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 g/Kg diet/day on seven-month-old sensecence-accelerated mice for 16 weeks with single-trail passive avoidance test (p < 0.05). The effective doses are 5.0 and 10.0 g/Kg diet/day on two-month-old and seven-month-old senescence-accelerated mice for 16 weeks with active shuttle avoidance test (p < 0.05). The study of brain histopathology on seven-month-old senescence-accelerated mice also showed the significant results (p < 0.05). The result could be confirmed the potential of as a cognition enhancing agent.