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Title: Effects of Acorn (Quercus acutissima CARR.) Supplementation on Acetylcholine and Its Related Enzyme Activities in Brain of Dementia Model Mouse

Author
item LEE, SUNG-HYEON - NTL RURAL RESOURDES
item KIM, DAE-IK - NTL RURAL RESOURDES
item CHO, SO-YOUNG - NTL RURAL RESOURDES
item JUNG, HYUN-JIN - NTL RURAL RESOURDES
item CHO, SOO-MUK - NTL RURAL RESOURDES
item PARK, HONG-JU - NTL RURAL RESOURDES
item Lillehoj, Hyun

Submitted to: Trade Journal Publication
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2006
Publication Date: 10/20/2006
Citation: Lee, S., Kim, D., Cho, S., Jung, H., Cho, S., Park, H., Lillehoj, H.S. 2006. Effects of Acorn (Quercus acutissima CARR.) Supplementation on Acetylcholine and Its Related Enzyme Activities in Brain of Dementia Model Mouse. J. Korean Soc. Food. Sci. Nutri. 34:738-742.

Interpretive Summary: In this paper, ARS scientist collaborated with scientists at the Rural Development Administration of South Korean government to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with acorn (Quercus acutissima CARR.) on brain dementia using a mouse model. To assess the effect of acorn, the level of acetylcholine which is a very important neurotransmiter was measured in untreated and acorn treated groups. The results showed that dietary supplementation with acorn gave a slight increase in the acetylcholine level in mice fed acorn diet compared to untreated mice group. These results indicate that acorn (Q. acutissima CARR.) plays an effective role in an attenuating various age related changes such as brain dementia including learning and memory impairments. This information will enhance our understanding of how diet such as acorn can improve learning and memory function and will facilitate the application of dietary use of acorn as a functional food to improve brain activity in human.

Technical Abstract: This study was carried out to investigate the effects of acorn (Quercus acutissima CARR.) on brain dementia in mouse. Murine dementia model was induced by scopolamin administration to abdominal cavity (30 mg/kg BW). Male ICR mouse (30 ' 2 g BW) were fed basic diet (control group), or experimental diets with 5% (AP 5) or 10% (AP 10) added dried acorn powder to basic diet for 8 months. Acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase activity in brain were measured. Acetylcholine contents as a very important neurotransmitter resulted in a slight increase (4.2% and 11.3%, respectively) in AP 5 and AP 10 groups compared with control group. Acetylcholinesterase activities as a hydrolysis enzyme were significantly inhibited (13.5% and 17.6%, respectively) in brain of AP 5 and AP 10 groups(p < 0.05). Monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) activities were significantly inhibited (10.0% and 12.7%, respectively) in brain of AP 5 and AP 10 groups(p < 0.05). These results indicate that acorn (Q. acutissima CARR.) plays an effective role in an attenuating various age related changes such as brain dementia including learning and memory impairments.