Crateva unilocularis Buch. shoots attenuate d-galactose-induced brain injury and cognitive disorders of mice through the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway

Crateva unilocularis and C. unilocularis Buch. shoots are traditionally served as a vegetable with many health-promoting benefits. The aim of the current investigation was designed to study the preventive effect of ethanol extract from C. unilocularis shoots (CSE) on d-galactose (d-gal) induced brain and liver injury and cognitive disorders of mice, and to illuminate the potential molecular mechanisms. Results exhibited that CSE, especially at a dose of 600 mg kg(-1) b.w., remarkably improved the morphology and number of hippocampal neurons against impairment caused by d-gal (p < 0.05). Biochemical parameters displayed that CSE, especially at a high dose, substantially increased SOD (by about 35.37%, 24.98% and 45.51%), CAT (by about 45.73%, 31.44% and 30.70%), and GSH-Px (by about 36.47%, 17.68% and 52.87%) activities and decreased the level of MDA (by about 22.58%, 23.38% and 27.69%) in the plasma, liver, and brain, respectively (p < 0.05). The AChE content in mice administered a high dose of CSE decreased by about 44.48%. Further mechanism results revealed that the prevention by CSE might be achieved by upregulating the expressions of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-Akt/Akt, Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 proteins (p < 0.05). In addition, behavioral experiments showed that CSE at a dose of 600 mg kg(-1) could significantly improve the anxiety status and impairment of learning and memory caused by d-gal (p < 0.05). These results substantially proved that C. unilocularis shoots could effectively attenuate d-gal-induced brain and liver injury and cognitive disorders of mice and could be applied to develop new functional foods to encounter aging-related impairments in brain function.