Objective: To probe into the effects of cornel officinalis polysaccharide on learning and memory ability

expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in hippocampaltissue of immature rats with penicillin-induced epilepsy. Methods: Thirty immature rats at 21 d were randomly divided into the normal saline control group

epilepsy model group and cornus officinalis polysaccharide group

with 10 cases in each group. The normal saline control group only received normal saline gavage

without modeling. In the cornus officinalis polysaccharide group

0.05 g/mL of cornus officinalis polysaccharide was given in intragastric administration after successful modeling. The epilepsy model group was treated with the same amount of normal saline in intragastric administration after successful modeling. All rats were continuously given intragastric administration for 28 d. Morris water maze was used to test the learning and memory ability of immature rats in each group. The expression of BDNF mRNA

NGF mRNA in hippocampal tissue was determined by RT- PCR

and the protein content of BDNF and NGF was detected by Western-blot. Results: Compared with the normal saline control group

the learning and memory ability of immature rats in the epilepsy model group decreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the epilepsy model group

the learning and memory ability of immature rats in the cornus officinalis polysaccharide group increased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the normal saline control group

the expression of BDNF

NGF mRNA and protein in the epilepsy model group decreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the epilepsy model group

the expression of BDNF

NGF mRNA and protein in the cornus officinalis polysaccharide group increased significantly (P<0.01). Conclusion: Cornel officinalis polysaccharide can improve the learning and memory ability of immature rats with penicillin-induced epilepsy by increasing the expression of BDNF and NGF in hippocampus.