School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Metab Brain Dis. 2024 Nov 15;40(1):4. doi: 10.1007/s11011-024-01423-7.
Kola nut is commonly consumed by pregnant women to suppress symptoms of morning sickness. This study investigated the effects of kola nut on the biochemical indices of the hippocampus and its dependent memory. Kola nut extract was fed to pregnant dams from the first day of their pregnancy until parturition. The following behavioral function tests were conducted: surface righting (SR); cliff avoidance (post-natal day [PND] 4, 5, 6 & 7); open field; novel object recognition and location; and radial-arm maze (PND 21 and 56). The levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), acetylcholine (ACh), and malondialdehyde (MDA) of the matched hippocampal tissues were also checked in the pups. The kola nut-treated pups showed significantly reduced behavioral indices compared to the pups in the control group: lower postural balance, higher risk avoidance memory, and lower frequency in pivoting and rearing compared to that in the control group. However, the frequency of urine and fecal bolus was significantly lower in the pups in the control group than that in the treated pups. The discrimination ratio of the control group pups in novel object recognition (NOR) and novel object location (NOL) was significantly higher than that in the treated pups, and the time taken by the treated pups to complete RAM was significantly higher. The levels of ACh and BDNF in the treated pups were increased compared to that in control pups. A positive correlation was found between MDA and SR (r = 0.7207; p = 0.0437), grooming (r = 0.7707; p = 0.0252), and fecal bolus (r = 0.7606; p = 0.0284), as well as with the BDNF level in those treated with grooming (r = 0.7570; p = 0.0297). However, negative correlations between ACh and rearing (r = -0.8261; p = 0.0115) and fecal bolus (r = -0.8066; p = 0.0156) and a positive correlation with NOL (r = 0.8358; p = 0.0098) were observed. Based on these observations, the study concluded that Kola nut affects both biochemical and hippocampal memory profiles.
科拉果通常被孕妇食用，以抑制晨吐症状。本研究调查了科拉果对海马生物化学指标及其相关记忆的影响。从怀孕第一天到分娩，科拉果提取物被喂食给怀孕的母鼠。进行了以下行为功能测试：表面翻身（SR）；悬崖回避（产后第 4、5、6 和 7 天）；旷场；新颖物体识别和定位；以及放射臂迷宫（PND21 和 56）。还检查了匹配海马组织中的脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）、乙酰胆碱（ACh）和丙二醛（MDA）的水平。与对照组相比，科拉果处理组的幼鼠表现出明显降低的行为指数：姿势平衡较低，风险回避记忆较高，与对照组相比，旋转和站立的频率较低。然而，对照组幼鼠的尿液和粪便团块的频率明显低于处理组幼鼠。对照组幼鼠在新颖物体识别（NOR）和新颖物体定位（NOL）中的辨别率明显高于处理组幼鼠，处理组幼鼠完成 RAM 的时间明显延长。与对照组幼鼠相比，处理组幼鼠的 ACh 和 BDNF 水平增加。在处理组中发现 MDA 与 SR（r=0.7207；p=0.0437）、梳理（r=0.7707；p=0.0252）和粪便团块（r=0.7606；p=0.0284）呈正相关，与接受梳理的幼鼠的 BDNF 水平呈正相关（r=0.7570；p=0.0297）。然而，在处理组中，ACh 与站立（r=-0.8261；p=0.0115）和粪便团块（r=-0.8066；p=0.0156）呈负相关，与 NOL 呈正相关（r=0.8358；p=0.0098）。基于这些观察结果，该研究得出结论，科拉果影响生化和海马记忆谱。
