Enhancement of Memory and Synaptic Plasticity by Celastrus paniculatus Seed Extract: Upregulation of pSer831‐GluA1 Trafficking and Arc/PSD‐95 Expression in the Hippocampus of Male Rats

(CP) is a traditional medicinal plant widely used in Ayurveda and Southeast Asian medicine for enhancing memory and treating cognitive dysfunction. Although CP has been reported to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects, its direct impact on activity-dependent synaptic plasticity remains insufficiently characterized. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of CP seed extract on memory performance and synaptic plasticity in a rat model, with a particular focus on AMPA receptor modulation and associated synaptic proteins. Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups: control, CP (80 mg/kg), donepezil (1.5 mg/kg), scopolamine (1 mg/kg), and scopolamine followed by CP. Treatments were administered daily for 14 days. Spatial memory performance was assessed using the Morris water maze. Following behavioral testing, hippocampal tissue was collected for immunohistochemical analysis of Arc protein and Western blotting of pSer831-GluA1, Arc, and PSD-95. CP-treated rats exhibited significantly reduced escape latency and increased time in the target quadrant, with outcomes comparable to those of donepezil-treated rats. In scopolamine-pretreated rats, CP administration reversed memory deficits by enhancing platform crossings and reducing escape latency. Molecular analysis revealed that CP significantly upregulated hippocampal expression of pSer831-GluA1, Arc, and PSD-95, indicating enhanced AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic integrity. CP seed extract enhances spatial memory and synaptic plasticity by modulating critical molecular components of the glutamatergic synapse. These findings suggest that CP may support memory performance in both baseline conditions and in animals with scopolamine-induced deficits.