ABSTRACT
Objective: To compare the effect and mechanism of Compound Danshen Tablets and its disassembled prescription on learning and memory ability of rats with vascular dementia (VD). Methods: Rats with normal learning and memory ability were screened through the shuttle box, and then divided into seven groups: sham group, model group, contrast group (dihydroergotaminemesylate 0.65 g/kg), Danshen group (ethanol extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza 0.3 g/kg), Senqi group (Panax notoginseng powder 0.3 g/kg), Compound Danshen Tablets group (low dose 0.3 g/kg, high dose 0.6 g/kg), ig administration, once daily one time, after 7 d of continuous administration, the VD rat model was established by bilateral common carotid artery ligation and reperfusion. After 7 d of continuous administration, the shuttle box test and neurological deficit score were performed; TTC staining and Nissl staining were used to detect the area of cerebral ischemia and the pathological changes of rat in the cerebral cortex respectively. The changes of SOD, MDA, Ach, 5-HT in the brain and VEGF, ET, eNOS, IL-6 in the serum were detected by kit. Results: Compared with the model group, the Compound Danshen Tablets group increased the number of conditional stimulation avoidance in VD rats, reduced the neurological function score and cerebral ischemia area, and reduced the MDA in rat brain tissue and ET, eNOS, IL-6 in rat serum, and increased Ach, 5-HT, SOD in the brain and VEGF in the serum. S. miltiorrhiza extract had better performance in reducing MDA in rat brain tissue and ET, eNOS, IL-6 in rat serum, SOD in the brain than in P. notoginseng; P. notoginseng was more advantageous in improving the content of Ach and 5-HT in rat brain tissue. The high-dose group of Compound Danshen Tablets had significant differences in SOD, MDA, ACH, 5-HT, and VEGF compared with Danshen group or Senqi group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Compound Danshen Tablets can improve the cognitive learning and memory ability of VD rats. The mechanism maybe enhance the secretion of Ach by the central cholinergic nervous system, improve the content of the monoamine neurotransmitters 5-HT in the hippocampus and hypothalamus, reduce the lipid peroxidation damage of the brain tissue, inhibit the inflammatory injury reaction and promote angiogenesis. In the compound, S. miltiorrhiza extract as the role of “Jun medicine”, plays a major role, while P. notoginseng assists “Jun medicine” in treating VD.