The extract of Moringa oleifera seeds has been shown to possess various pharmacological properties. In the present study, we assessed the neuropharmacological effects of 70% ethanolic M. oleifera seed extract (MSE) on
cognitive impairment caused by
scopolamine injection in mice using the passive avoidance and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. MSE (250 or 500 mg/kg) was administered to mice by oral gavage for 7 or 14 days, and
cognitive impairment was induced by
intraperitoneal injection of
scopolamine (4 mg/kg) for 1 or 6 days. Mice that received
scopolamine alone showed impaired learning and memory retention and considerably decreased
cholinergic system reactivity and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. MSE pretreatment significantly ameliorated
scopolamine-induced
cognitive impairment and enhanced
cholinergic system reactivity and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Additionally, the
protein expressions of phosphorylated Akt, ERK1/2, and CREB in the hippocampus were significantly decreased by
scopolamine, but these decreases were reversed by MSE treatment. These results suggest that MSE-induced ameliorative cognitive effects are mediated by enhancement of the
cholinergic neurotransmission system and neurogenesis via activation of the Akt, ERK1/2, and CREB signaling pathways. These findings suggest that MSE could be a potent neuropharmacological
drug against
amnesia, and its mechanism might be modulation of
cholinergic activity via the Akt, ERK1/2, and CREB signaling pathways.