Effect of Chaigan Jieyou Decoction on Hippocampal Neurons and Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Rats of Parkinson’s Disease with Depression / 广州中医药大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of Chaigan Jieyou Decoction on hippocampal neurons and the expression of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in rats of Parkinson’s disease with depression (PDD). Methods Twenty-four adult male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely normal group, model group, Chaigan Jieyou Decoction group and Fluoxetine group, 6 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the rats in the other groups were fed solitarily. After the establishment of PDD model, the model group, Chaigan Jieyou Decoction group and Fluoxetine group were given intragastric administration of distilled water 2.0 mL, Chaigan Jieyou Decoction 8 g·kg-1, Fluoxetine 1.8 mg·kg-1 for one day respectively, once a day. The treatment covered 21 continuous days. The hippocampal neuron damage and the expression of BDNF in hippocampal tissues were detected by Nissl’s staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Results Compared with the normal group, model group had obvious morphological damage of the hippocampal neurons, while Chaigan Jieyou Decoction and fluoxetine could relieve the damage, showing certain protection of hippocampal neurons. Compared with the normal group, BDNF positive staining area, integral optical density (IOD), and mean optical density(MOD) of the hippocampus in the model group were significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, BDNF positive staining area, integral optical density and mean optical density in Chaigan Jieyou Decoction group and fluoxetine group were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion Chaigan Jieyou Decoction has an effect on the relief of the damage of neurons and the increase of expression of BDNF in hippocampus of rats with PDD, which probably contributes to one of its therapeutic mechanisms.