Recent Research in Science and Technology 2011, 3(10):98-102 ISSN: 2076-5061 www.scholarjournals.org www.recent-science.com 98 RRST- Anatomy Behavioral Effect of Fructus Psoralea on Ethanol Induced Neurodegeneration of Hippocampus in Wistar Albino Rat R. Sivanandan 1* , P. Saraswathi 2 and S. Melani Rajendran 3 1 Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India 2 Professor & Head, Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India 3 Professor, Department of Anatomy, Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India Article Info Abstract Article History The behavioral effect of Fructus Psoraleae (FP) was investigated in the rat by using maze apparatus. Ethanol was found to increase the ambulatory, rearing and grooming behaviors in the open-field test. In animal studies, FP increase the number of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain which in turn leads to increased hippocampal function, a structure heavily implicated in behavioral activity and memory consolidation. In addition, FP blocked plasma elevated cortisol level, an indicator of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. People with extensive hippocampal damage may experience amnesia, learning and memory disabilities. Hence the herb FP may be used as an adjuvant to treat the above neurological disorders. Received : 21-05-2011 Revised : 04-08-2011 Accepted : 04-08-2011 *Corresponding Author Tel : +91-4426801050 Fax : +91-4426800892 Email: sivanandan.ramar@gmail.com ©ScholarJournals, SSR Introduction Alcohol causes 1.8 million deaths (3.2% of total) and a loss of 58.3 million (34% of total) of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY) (WHO, 2004), while neurological condition account for 40% of the 58.3 million DALYs. Ethanol, the active drug in alcoholic beverages, has a number of effects in humans (White AM et al., 2000). Ü Short term effects include: intoxication, dehydration, alcohol poisoning (Which can be fatal) and memory loss. Ü Longer term alcohol affects heart function, liver metabolism and brain function. (White AM et al., 2000). In human beings, persistent intake of alcohol can result in damage to cortical and sub-cortical structures of the brain, can lead to brain shrinkage, neurotransmitter impairments, inhibition of frontal cortex functioning, reduced hippocampal function (4-7). It significantly inhibits neuronal activity in the CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cell layers of the hippocampus (White AM et al., 2000) (10). Animal studies has revealed that alcohol has been found to reduce the number of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain leading to reduced hippocampal function, a structure heavily implicated in memory consolidation (4). It also affects N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by inhibiting the ion current induced by (NMDA), a glutamate receptor agonist (3). This prevents excitatory synaptic transmissions from occurring, affecting synaptic plasticity and in turn, memory and learning. The hippocampus is a major component of the brain of human beings and other mammals. The hippocampal formation consists of the hippocampus proper (cornu ammonis literally "Amun's horns", abbreviated CA), the area dentata, and the subicular complex (Lorente de No et al., 1934). It belongs to the limbic system and plays important roles in the learning, memory & behavioural activity. The hippocampus as a whole has the shape of a curved tube, which has been analogized variously to a seahorse, a ram's horn (Cornu Ammonis, hence the subdivisions CA1, CA2, CA3 & CA4), or a banana (Amaral et al., 2006). Dry fruit of leguminous plant Psoralea corylifolia Linn. (syn: Cullen corylifolium Linn.) is one of the most popular Traditional Chinese Medicine and officially listed in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (Qiao CF et al., 2006). Bakuchi has earned the name Kusthanasini as it is one of the best herbs, used in the treatment of various skin disorders (Qiao CF et al., 2006 & Sah P et al., 2006). The main chemical constituents are Ü Coumarin derivatives include psoralen, isopsoralen methoxypsoralen (Yang yishan et al.,1983, Zhao Jianhin et al., 1990 and Lu Zehua et al., 1987). Ü Flavones includes coryfolin, corylifolinin, bavachinin, isobavachin, neobavaisoflavne, bavachromene, corylin, bavachalcone, neobavachalcone (Lui Daiquah et al., 2006). Ü Mono-terpane-phenol includes bakuchiol (Lui Daiquah et al., 2006). Fructus Psoraleae possessed estrogen-like effects (Shen Li-xial et al., 2009). The estrogen also has direct effect over hippocampus (Gabriele Flugge et al., 1986) but the possible mechanism is unknown. However, reports of the effect and mechanism of Fructus Psoralea on the neurons on the Hippocampus are rare. In this experiment, Behavioral studies of Fructus Psoralea on ethanol induced neurodegeneration of Hippocampus in Wistar Albino Rat were studied.