Pharmacological Properties of the Four-year Unripe Ginseng Berry and the Enhancing Effect on Learning and Memory in Aβ42-induced Alzheimer Mouse Model

In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the processed 4-year ginseng berry extract (SGF) had pharmacological properties with improving learning and memory in an Aβ42-induced Alzheimer’s mouse model. Passive avoidance test (PAT) and Morris water-maze test (MWMT) were performed after the administration with SGF, and assays (acetylcholine, ACh and Aβ) in the brain lysates were followed along with the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) detection for the brain damage. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and the gene expression (choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)) in N2a cells was further analyzed using Ellman’s and qPCR assays, respectively. Results demonstrated that SGF contained a high amount of 3 active ginsenosides (Rg3, Rg5 and F4) and significantly improved PAT and MWMT compared to Aβ42-induced mouse model. Interestingly, AChE activity in the brain lysates was significantly reduced, whereas ACh amounts was escalated in SGF groups. In addition, ChAT, VAChT and BDNF mRNAs were significantly upregulated in the presence of a single Rg3, Rg5 and F4 as well as SGF. Taken together, these findings clearly suggest that SGF can participate in alleviating AD pathogenesis by preventing the brain damage and increasing ACh production which are primitive requirements for a therapeutic candidate of Alzheimer’s disease.