ABSTRACT
Objective To explore protective effects of panaxtrial saponins (PTS) on cognition and memory of diabetic rats and to reveal its mechanism by which might involve regulating activity of astrocytes. Methods SD rats (n=24) were ran?domly assigned into control, diabetic and PTS-treated groups (n=8 in each group). Rat diabetic model was induced through streptozotocin injection intraperitoneally. Rats in control group were native rats, and rats in PTS-treated group were diabetic rats that were administered with PTS. Body weight and blood glucose were monitored through the experiments. Three months later, state of cognition was examined by methods of water maze. Hippocampal astrocyte morphology were detected by immu?nohistochemistry, and the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in hippocampus were revealed by Western blot. Results Compared with control group, diabetic group showed cog?nitive dysfunction, atrophic astrocyte soma, shrinked astrocyte processes, and down-regulation of hippocampal GFAP and GDNF (P<0.05). Compared with diabetic group, PTS-treated group exhibited improved cognition and morphology of hippo?campal astrocyte, and reversed expression of GFAP and GDNF in diabetic hippocampus (P<0.05). Conclusion PTS re?versed astrocytic reactivity as well as expression of GDNF and GFAP in diabetic hippocampus and ameliorated diabetic cog?nitive dysfunction.