The Anti-amnesic Effects of Luteolin against Amyloid ss25-35 Peptide-induced Toxicity in Mice Involve the Protection of Neurovascular Unit.

Neuroscience. 2009 May 11; Rui L, Mei G, Guifen Q, Tiantai Z, Xi L, Jian Y, Guanhua DLuteolin is an important member of the flavonoid family. It exhibits strongly anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and phytoestrogen-like activities. In the present study, we examined the anti-amnesic and protective effects of luteolin against Ass(25-35) -induced toxicity in mice. Mice were given an intracerebroventricular injection of aggregated Ass(25-35) peptide. The learning and memory impairments, ultrastructural changes of cerebral cortex, cerebrovascular dysfunction and neuronal changes were detected after oral administration of luteolin continuously for 8 days. Our results demonstrate that oral administration of luteolin for 8 days for those Ass(25-35) -induced amnesic mice conferred robust neurovascular protection in Ass(25-35) -induced amnesia, involving the improvement of the spatial learning and memory capabilities, the modulation of microvascular function, the increase of regional cerebral blood flow values, the clearance of ROS, the improvement of cholinergic neuronal system, and the raise of BNDF level and its receptor TrkB expression in cerebral cortex.