Effect of seabuckthorn seed protein and its arginine-enriched peptides on combating memory impairment in mice

The current study characterized the combating memory impairment effect of seabuckthorn seed protein (SSP) and the arginine (Arg)-enriched peptides (SSPP) on d-galactose-induced brain aging in mice. The Arg content in SSP and SSPP were 10.11 and 17.82 g/100 g, respectively. Seven Arg peptides (Ile/Leu-Arg, Arg-Glu, Asp-Arg-Pro, Arg-Try-Ala, Glu-Arg-Ser, Val-Gly-Arg-Pro, and Lys-Thr-Glu-Arg) were identified from SSPP. The animal experiments of the Morris water maze and the step-down test indicated that the oral administration of SSP (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 mg/g·d) and SSPP (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 mg/g·d) significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the learning and memory impairment symptoms. The activation of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase and neuronal NO synthase were increased, and inducible NO synthase decreased after SSP and SSPP in the hippocampus compared to the model group, with the SSPP being quite effective. Moreover, the treatment significantly exhibited the ability to normalize the serum inflammatory cytokine levels (NF-ĸB, TNF-α, IL-6) and suppress the Arg-inducible nitric oxide (Arg-iNO) pathway. Therefore, SSP and SSPP ingestion reversed the behavioral learning and memory impairment symptoms possibly associated with the anti-inflammation and Arg-iNO pathway. Consumption of SSP and SSPP diets can be beneficial to memory impairment.