Choline acetyltransferase activity enhancing effects of kami-untan-to (KUT) on basal forebrain cultured neurons and lesioned rats

Effects of a kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine ''kami-untan-to (KUT)'' on central cholinergic neurons were examined in vitro and in vivo. When rat embryo septal cells were cultured in the presence of KUT (50-500 mu g/ml) for 3 days, significant increase of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity was observed. However, KUT had no significant effect on nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced ChAT activity in basal forebrain cultures. When KUT was orally administered to the ibotenic acid-induced forebrain lesioned rats, mean latency was significantly increased on passive avoidance of step through type and ChAT activity in cerebral cortex was also increased. These results indicate that KUT is a neurotrophic-like agents which is effective to the cholinergic nervous system and may be useful as a potential therapeutic agent in diseases exhibiting cholinergic deficit.