A Standardized Extract of <i>Asparagus officinalis</i> Stem (ETAS<sup>®</sup>) Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment, Inhibits Amyloid β Deposition via BACE-1 and Normalizes Circadian Rhythm Signaling via MT1 and MT2

oleh: Yin-Ching Chan, Ci-Sian Wu, Tsai-Chen Wu, Yu-Hsuan Lin, Sue-Joan Chang

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2019-07-01

Deskripsi

The prevalence of cognitive impairments and circadian disturbances increases in the elderly and Alzheimer&#8217;s disease (AD) patients. This study investigated the effects of a standardized extract of <i>Asparagus officinalis</i> stem, ETAS<sup>&#174;</sup> on cognitive impairments and circadian rhythm status in senescence-accelerated mice prone 8 (SAMP8). ETAS<sup>&#174;</sup> consists of two major bioactive constituents: 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF), an abundant constituent, and (S)-asfural, a novel constituent, which is a derivative of HMF. Three-month-old SAMP8 male mice were divided into a control, 200 and 1000 mg/kg BW ETAS<sup>&#174;</sup> groups, while senescence-accelerated resistant mice (SAMR1) were used as the normal control. After 12-week feeding, ETAS<sup>&#174;</sup> significantly enhanced cognitive performance by an active avoidance test, inhibited the expressions of amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) and BACE-1 and lowered the accumulation of amyloid &#946; (A&#946;) in the brain. ETAS<sup>&#174;</sup> also significantly increased neuron number in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and normalized the expressions of the melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) and melatonin receptor 2 (MT2). In conclusion, ETAS<sup>&#174;</sup> enhances the cognitive ability, inhibits A&#946; deposition and normalizes circadian rhythm signaling, suggesting it is beneficial for preventing cognitive impairments and circadian rhythm disturbances in aging.