Background

Centella asiatica is a ‘medhya-rasayana (nootrophic or memory booster)’ herb that has been indicated in Ayurveda for improving memory function and treating dementia disorders. Although the neuroprotective effects of C. asiatica have been reported in earlier studies, the information on whether this nootropic herb could promote early differentiation and development of axon and dendrites in primary hippocampal neurons is currently limited.

The aim of the study

To investigate the effects of C. asiatica and asiatic acid, one of the principal active constituents of C. asiatica, on the various stages of neuronal polarity, including early neuronal differentiation, axonal outgrowth, dendritic arborization, axonal maturation, and synaptic formation.

Materials and methods

Embryonic rat hippocampal neurons were incubated with C. asiatica leaf extract (CAE) or asiatic acid. After an indicated time, neurons were fixed and immunolabeled to visualize the neuronal morphology. Morphometric analyses for early neuronal differentiation, axonal and dendritic maturation and synaptogenesis were performed using Image J software. Neuronal viability was determined using trypan blue exclusion assay.

Results

CAE at varying concentrations ranging from 3.75 to 15 μg/mL enhanced neurite outgrowth with the highest optimal concentration of 7.5 μg/mL. The effects of CAE commenced immediately after cell seeding, as indicated by its accelerating effect on neuronal differentiation. Subsequently, CAE significantly elaborated dendritic and axonal morphology and facilitated synapse formation. Asiatic acid also facilitated neurite outgrowth, but to a lesser extent than CAE.

Conclusion

These findings revealed that CAE exerted its modulatory effects in every stage of neuronal development, supporting its previously claimed neurotrophic function and suggest that this natural nootropic and its active component asiatic acid can be further investigated to explore a promising solution for degenerative brain disorders and injuries.

中文翻译：

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积雪草促进初级海马神经元的早期分化、轴树突成熟和突触形成

背景

Centella asiatica是一种“medhya-rasayana（益智或记忆增强剂）”草药，在阿育吠陀中已表明可改善记忆功能和治疗痴呆症。虽然在早期的研究中已经报道了C. asiatica的神经保护作用，但关于这种促智药草是否可以促进初级海马神经元中轴突和树突的早期分化和发育的信息目前是有限的。

研究目的

为了研究的影响积雪草和积雪草酸，的主要活性成分之一积雪草，神经元极性的各个阶段，包括早期神经元分化，轴突生长，树突分支，轴突成熟和突触的形成。

材料和方法

胚胎大鼠海马神经元与积雪草叶提取物 (CAE) 或积雪草酸一起孵育。在指定的时间后，固定神经元并进行免疫标记以观察神经元形态。使用 Image J 软件对早期神经元分化、轴突和树突成熟以及突触发生进行形态测量分析。使用台盼蓝排除试验确定神经元活力。

结果

CAE 在 3.75 至 15 μg/mL 的不同浓度范围内增强了神经突的生长，最高最佳浓度为 7.5 μg/mL。CAE 的作用在细胞接种后立即开始，如其对神经元分化的加速作用所示。随后，CAE 显着阐述了树突和轴突形态并促进了突触的形成。积雪草酸也促进轴突生长，但程度低于 CAE。

结论

这些发现表明 CAE 在神经元发育的每个阶段都发挥其调节作用，支持其先前声称的神经营养功能，并表明可以进一步研究这种天然促智药及其活性成分积雪草酸，以探索一种有希望的退行性脑部疾病和损伤的解决方案。