ANTI – AGEING ACTIVITY OF MOONG BEAN SPROUTS

The present work was undertaken to justify that Vigna radiate (green moong bean) is helpful in reversing signs of memory loss in aged mice. Passive Avoidance Paradigm (PAP) and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) were employed as exteroceptive behavioural models and ageing- induced amnesia served as interoceptive behavioural model. Moong bean sprouts (2% and 4% w/w MBS) were administered to mice along with diet for 15 consecutive days. Effect on the central cholinergic system was also assessed using whole brain acetyl cholinesterase activity (AChE). Antioxidant activity was measured using whole brain glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Aged mice exhibited increase in transfer latency (TL) in EPM indicating the impairment of memory. But pre-treatment with MBS significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the TL in aged mice. Further, the step down latency (SDL) of aged mice administered with MBS was increased significantly (p < 0.01) as compared to the control group of aged mice. Green moong bean sprouts also produced remarkable reduction in AChE activity of aged mice. Increase in GSH and decrease in MDA levels was also observed in mice administered with MBS thus confirming its good anti-oxidant activity. These findings suggest that green moong bean sprouts have significantly attenuated ageing-induced amnesia in mice.