Tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside, a plant-derived cognitive enhancer, promotes hippocampal synaptic plasticity

Plant or food derived polyphenols have received a great deal of attention due to their biological properties including anti-oxidative effects, neuroprotection and memory enhancement. Here, we investigated the roles of 2,3,5,4′-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-d-glucoside (TSG), an active component of the rhizome extracted from Polygonum multiflorum, in the regulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity in normal mice as well as the underlying mechanisms. It was shown that TSG promoted the differentiation of PC12 cells and increased the intracellular calcium level in hippocampal neurons. TSG facilitated high-frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in a bell-shaped manner. The facilitation of LTP induction by TSG required calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. Taken together, our data demonstrate that TSG promotes LTP induction and this effect may contribute to the enhancement of learning and memory seen in animal models.