Piperine, the main alkaloid of Thai black pepper, protects against neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in animal model of cognitive deficit like condition of Alzheimer's disease

Food Chem Toxicol. 2010 Mar;48(3):798-802. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2009.12.009. Epub 2009 Dec 23.

Abstract

Recently, numerous medicinal plants possessing profound central nervous system effects and antioxidant activity have received much attention as food supplement to improve cognitive function against cognitive deficit condition including in Alzheimer's disease condition. Based on this information, the effect of piperine, a main active alkaloid in fruit of Piper nigrum, on memory performance and neurodegeneration in animal model of Alzheimer's disease have been investigated. Adult male Wistar rats (180-220 g) were orally given piperine at various doses ranging from 5, 10 and 20mg/kg BW at a period of 2 weeks before and 1 week after the intracerebroventricular administration of ethylcholine aziridinium ion (AF64A) bilaterally. The results showed that piperine at all dosage range used in this study significantly improved memory impairment and neurodegeneration in hippocampus. The possible underlying mechanisms might be partly associated with the decrease lipid peroxidation and acetylcholinesterase enzyme. Moreover, piperine also demonstrated the neurotrophic effect in hippocampus. However, further researches about the precise underlying mechanism are still required.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / psychology
  • Animals
  • Aziridines / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Aziridines / toxicity
  • Benzodioxoles / pharmacology*
  • Choline / analogs & derivatives
  • Choline / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Choline / toxicity
  • Cognition Disorders / pathology
  • Cognition Disorders / prevention & control*
  • Cognition Disorders / psychology
  • Donepezil
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • Indans / pharmacology
  • Injections, Intraventricular
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Maze Learning
  • Nerve Degeneration / pathology
  • Nerve Degeneration / prevention & control*
  • Nerve Degeneration / psychology
  • Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / toxicity
  • Neuroprotective Agents*
  • Nootropic Agents / pharmacology
  • Piper nigrum / chemistry*
  • Piperidines / pharmacology*
  • Polyunsaturated Alkamides / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Space Perception / drug effects
  • Thailand

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Aziridines
  • Benzodioxoles
  • Indans
  • Neuromuscular Blocking Agents
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Nootropic Agents
  • Piperidines
  • Polyunsaturated Alkamides
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Donepezil
  • ethylcholine aziridinium
  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Choline
  • piperine