ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of safflower yellow (SY) on inflammatory injury in cortex of APP/PS1 double Alzheimer's disease (AD) transgenic mice. METHODS: Six-month-old APP/PS1 transgenic male mice were used in the study. The mice were randomly divided into five groups: model group, galanthamine group, high, middle and low dose groups of Safflower Yellow, and wild-type mice with same age were selected into normal control group. Each group mice were performed Morris water maze test after given different drugs by gavage for three months. The level of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, IFN-γ and iNOS in cortex were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with wild-type controls, the ability of learning and memory were decreased in the model group. The level of IL-1β, IFN-γ and iNOS increased as well as the expression of IL-4, IL-10 decreased (P<0.01). After SY treatment, the learning and memory abilities of middle dose group were elevated (P<0.01); it could obviously down-regulate the expression of IL-1β, IFN-7, iNOS and up-regulate the expression of IL-4 and IL-10 (P<0.01). High and low dose groups could obviously down-regulate the expression of IFN-γ, iNOS and up-regulate the expression of IL-10 (P<0.01). High dose group does had obvious effect of up-regulating the expression of IL-4 (P<0.01), Both of High and low dose groups didn't have statistical significance on the expression of IL-1β. CONCLUSION Safflower Yellow could improve the ability of learning and memory and exert protective effects on inflammation damage in the cortex of APP/PS1 transgenic mice.