BACKGROUND: Clinical practice and mod pharmacology have confirmed that ehlorogenic acid can ameliorate leing and memory impairments. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of chlorogenic acid on neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-positive neurons in the mouse hippocampus, and to investigate the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of chlorogenic acid on leing and memory. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The present randomized, controlled, neural cell morphological observation was performed at the Institute of Neurobiology, Central South University between January and May 2005.MATERIALS: Forty-eight female, healthy, adult, Kunming mice were included in this study. Leing and memory impairment was induced with an injection of 0.5 μL kainic acid (0.4 mg/mL) into the hippocampus.METHODS: The mice were randomized into three groups (n = 16): model, control, and chlorogenic acid-treated. At 2 days following leing and memory impairment induction, intragastric administration of physiological saline or chlorogenic acid was performed in the model and chlorogenic acid-treated groups, respectively. The control mice were administered 0.5 μ L physiological saline into the hippocampus, and 2 days later, they received an intragastric administration of physiological saline. Each mouse received two intragastric administrations (1 mL solution once) per day, for a total of 35 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Detection of changes in hippocampal and cerebral cortical nNOS neurons by immunohistochemistry; determination of spatial leing and memory utilizing the Y-maze device.RESULTS: At day 7 and 35 after intervention, there was no significant difference in the number of nNOS-positive neurons in the cerebral cortex between the model, chlorogenic acid, and control groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the number of nNOS-positive neurons in the hippocampal CA1-4 region was significantly less in the model group (P < 0.05). However, the control group was not different from the ehlorogenic acid-treated group (P > 0.05). At day 7 following intervention, the number of correct responses in the Y-maze test was greater in the ehlorogenic acid-treated group than in the model group. CONCLUSION: Chlorogenic acid protects kainic acid-induced injury to nNOS-positive neurons in the hippocampal CA1-4 regions, thereby ameliorating leing and memory impairment.