Effect of Recipes for Tonifying Kidney and Replenishing Qi on Learning and Memory-related Genes in Aged Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effects of recipes for tonifying kidney and replenishing Qi, Zuoguiwan (ZG) and Yiqi Congming Tang(YQ) on memory capacity, expressions of learning and memory-related genes expression, and explore the changes in relevant epigenetic modification enzymes. Method:SD male rats with natural aging (24 months old) were used as animal models and randomly divided into aged control group, aged ZG group(12.12 g·kg-1), aged YQ group(10.18 g·kg-1), aged compound group(11.15 g·kg-1) and aged antagonist RU38486 group(5×10-3g·kg-1). Another 5 months old male SD rats were included as the young control group. Morris water maze method was used to observe the spatial learning and memory ability of the rats. The co-localizations of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) and methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) in hippocampus of rats in each group were observed by laser confocal microscope. The changes in expressions of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), synapsin1(Syn-1), HDAC2, and histone acetyltransferase 1(HAT1) proteins in hippocampus of each group were detected by Western blot, and mRNA expression of HDAC2 was detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase Chain reaction (Real-time PCR). At the same time, the effects of ZG, YQ and compound decoction in alleviating the above-mentioned abnormal changes were observed. Result:Compared with the young control group(control group), the latency of the aged control group was significantly prolonged (PPPPPPPConclusion:ZG group, YQ group, and compound group can improve the spatial learning and memory abilities of aged rats by increasing the expression of learning-memory-associated protein GR and epigenetic modification enzyme HAT1, and reducing the expression of HDAC2 and the co-localization of HDAC2 protein and MeCP2 in the nucleus.

Effects of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural extracted from Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch on the expression of signaling molecules relevant to learning and memory among hippocampal neurons exposed to high concentration of corticosterone / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the effects of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF), an extract of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, on several down-regulated signaling molecules involved in learning and memory in hippocampal neurons.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>After cultured for 7 days, primary hippocampal neurons were divided into 5 groups: normal, corticosterone model, RU38486, 5-HMF, and donepezil group. Neuron survival rates were calculated 24 h later using SYTO13-PI double-fluorescence staining and an 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. β-galactosidase activity was also assayed. Protein expressed by the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR), brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2B (NR2B), as well as phosphorylationcyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (p-CREB), phosphorylation-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), and phosphorylation-synapsin (p-synapsin) were quantified with Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Hippocampal neuron survival rates and the above-mentioned proteins were dramatically decreased (P<0.05), β-galactosidase activity was significantly increased in the model group. but the effect was reversed by 5-HMF, RU38486, and to a lesser extent by donepezil (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>5-HMF extracts from the Chinese herb Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch could protect hippocampal neurons from glucocorticoid injury and from down-regulated signaling molecules in the GCR-BDNF-NR2B-p-ERK-p-CREB-p-synapsin signal transduction pathway.</p>

Effect of heart benefiting recipe in controlling IL-1beta, IL-6 and APPmRNA expression in brain of beta-amyloid protein induced rat model of dementia / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the neuro-immune regulatory mechanism of Heart Benefiting recipe (HBR), an effective recipe for treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using immunohistochemical and RT-PCR methods, the neuro-immunological pathological changes in the AD rat model induced by beta-amyloid protein (A beta1-40) via lateral cerebral ventricle injection, including mainly the glial fibrillary acidic protein expression and inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6mRNA and beta-amyloid protein precursor (APPmRNA) gene expression were studied. And the effects of HBR on these parameters were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Deposition of A beta in cerebral tissue could induce activation of stellate glial cells and abnormal increased levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta and IL-6mRNA), also the elevation of APPmRNA level. HBR could effectively control the above-mentioned pathological changes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HBR could effectively control the inflammation and the A beta immune cascade reaction in brain of AD patients, it is one of the important therapeutic mechanisms of the recipe.</p>

Establishment of analogous oxidative damaged Alzheimer's disease rat model and effect of tiaoxin recipe on it / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a convenient, economical and practical analogous oxidative damaged Alzheimer's disease rat model (AD model) for exploring the effect of Tiaoxin Recipe (TXR) on the spatial memory capacity and beta-amyloid protein (A beta) deposition in the model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The AD model was established by left ventricular injection of DHF-FeCl3-ADP. Spatial memory and learning capacity of the model rat was observed by Morris water maze method, A beta deposition in its cerebral cortex was observed by immunohistochemistry, and the effect of TXR was analysed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal group, the spatial memory capacity in the model group was obviously decreased, with A beta widely deposited in cortex, immunohistochemical examination showed that the number of A beta positive cells and their mean optic density significantly increased. TXR displayed significantly improving effect on the above-mentioned changes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The oxidative damaged model could not only express the clinical characteristics (short-term memory impairment), but also partially reflex the pathological changes (A beta deposition) of AD, is an economical and practical analogous AD model. TXR has the effects of improving spatial memory impairment and lowering A beta deposition in the AD model rats.</p>