Effect of supplementation of vitamin E and vitamin C on brain acetylcholinesterase activity and neurotransmitter levels in rats treated with scopolamine, an inducer of dementia

In the present study, the effects of vitamins E and C on the levels of neur otransmitters and acetylcholinesterase activity in the brains of rats treat ed with scopolamine, an inducer of dementia, were examined. Fifty male Spra gue-Dawley rats at the age of 5 wk were divided into five groups after I wk of adaptation and fed five different diets for 6 wk: a no-scopolamine grou p, which was a scopolamine-untreated group fed only a basal diet; a scopola mine-treated group fed a basal diet: a vitamin E-supplemented scopolamine-t reated group; a vitamin C-supplemented scopolamine-treated group; and a vit amins E and C-supplemented scopolamine-treated group. Scopolamine was twice administered by intraperitoneal injection (300 mg/kg, body weight), 3 d an d 20 min prior to sacrifice. Brain acetylcholinesterase activity was marked ly reduced by scopolamine injection. However, the supplementation of vitami ns E and C in the diet significantly increased the reduced brain acetylchol inesterase activity up to the level of the scopolamine-untreated group. Bra in serotonin concentration in the vitamin C-supplemented scopolamine-treate d group was significantly higher than that in the scopolamine-treated group . However, there were no significant differences in brain dopamine and nore pinephrine concentrations among all groups. In conclusion, supplementation with vitamin E and/or vitamin C might be useful in maintaining brain acetyl cholinesterase activity at the normal level and serotonin concentration for some extent under the condition to induce dementia by scopolamine administ ration.