Centella asiatica, a traditional medicinal herb, is well-known for its neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the impact of C. asiatica extract (CAE) on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in HT22 cells and scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in mice. CAE protected HT22 cells by attenuating oxidative stress and regulating apoptosis-related proteins, including Bcl-2 and Bax. Additionally, CAE was shown to upregulate the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), a critical transcription factor involved in neuronal differentiation. In scopolamine-induced mice, oral administration of CAE (30, 60, and 100 mg/kg) significantly enhanced behavioral performance in memory tests, with effects comparable to those of the positive control, donepezil. Furthermore, CAE elevated hippocampal acetylcholine levels, inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity, and enhanced antioxidant defenses. These findings demonstrate that CAE exerts neuroprotective and memory-enhancing effects via antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and cholinergic modulation mechanisms, suggesting its potential as a functional food ingredient for cognitive maintenance.
Kim et al. (Wed,) studied this question.