Nobiletin, a citrus flavonoid that improves memory impairment, rescues bulbectomy-induced cholinergic neurodegeneration in mice

J Pharmacol Sci. 2007 Sep;105(1):122-6. doi: 10.1254/jphs.sc0070155.

Abstract

We have recently reported that nobiletin, a citrus flavonoid, improves impaired memory in olfactory-bulbectomized (OBX) mice, which have been widely utilized as a useful paradigm that shares some major clinical features of Alzheimer's disease. Here, we examined the effects of nobiletin on OBX-induced cholinergic neurodegeneration in mice. OBX mice showed reduced acetylcholinesterase (AChE) staining and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) expression in the hippocampus. An 11-day administration of nobiletin rescued OBX-induced decrease in the density of AChE-staining and ChAT expression in the hippocampus. These results suggest that nobiletin rescues OBX-induced cholinergic neurodegeneration, accompanied by improvement of impaired memory in OBX mice.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase / metabolism
  • Cholinergic Fibers / drug effects
  • Cholinergic Fibers / metabolism
  • Cholinergic Fibers / pathology
  • Citrus / chemistry*
  • Flavones / chemistry
  • Flavones / pharmacology*
  • Flavones / therapeutic use
  • Flavonoids / chemistry
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Flavonoids / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Mice
  • Models, Anatomic
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nerve Degeneration / metabolism
  • Nerve Degeneration / pathology
  • Nerve Degeneration / prevention & control*
  • Olfactory Bulb / physiopathology
  • Olfactory Bulb / surgery*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Flavones
  • Flavonoids
  • nobiletin
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase
  • Acetylcholinesterase