ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the Hobiletin improving cognitive function and the possible mechanism to protect the hippocampal neurons.Methods Eight of Wistar rats,SPF,12 weeks of age,male,were set to the normal group;Eight of GK male rats,SPF,12 weeks of age,only for diabetes group;Both of the two groups were given the normal feed.6 of GK male rats,12 weeks of age,to feed Hobiletin of orange peel 10 mg/kg and lavage for 8 weeks,were set to the NOB group.After 22 weeks the rats were tested by Morris water maze behavior experiment for test the ability of learning and memory;the expression of Nrf-2 was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western Blot.Results Compared with the normal group,the incubation period of diabetes group was longer (P＜0.05),and theescape latency of NOB group was shorter than that of diabetes group (P＜0.05).Compared with the normal group,the residence time in the target quadrant was shorter in the diabetes group (P＜0.05),and prolonged in the NOB group than in the diabetes model group (P＜0.05).The expression of Nrf-2 in diabetes group was significantly higher than that in diabetes group (P＜0.05).The expression of NH-2 in NOB group was significantly higher than that in diabetes group (P＜0.05).Conclusion NOB can increase the expression of Nrf-2 in hippocampus and improve the cognitive function of diabetic rats,which may be related to the enhancement of Nrf-2 activity and the activation of anti-oxidative stress pathway.