Longshengzhi Capsules Improves Cognitive Function of Vascular Dementia Model Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Longshengzhi capsules on the cognitive function of vascular dementia （VD） rats and reveal the underlying mechanism. MethodA VD rat model was established by permanent ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries. The model rats were randomly assigned into the model group （normal saline for gavage）， Hydergine （0.54 mg·kg-1） group， and high-， medium-， and low-dose （2.16， 1.08， and 0.54 g·kg-1， respectively） Longshengzhi capsules groups， with 15 rats each group. Additionally， a sham group （normal saline for gavage） was designed in this study. Morris water maze test was conducted in the last week. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was employed for observation of the pathological changes in the hippocampal area of rat brain. Serum oxidative stress indicators including superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） were examined. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and interleukin-1β （IL-1β） were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression levels of B cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， protein kinase B （Akt）， p-Akt， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 （ICAM-1）， and matrix metallopeptidase-9 （MMP-9） were determined by Western blot. ResultMorris water maze results showed that compared with sham operation group， the escape latency of rats in model group was significantly prolonged， and the number of crossing platform was significantly reduced. Compared with model group， the time of escape latency in Longshengzhi capsules high- and medium-dose groups was significantly shortened， and the number of crossing platform was significantly increased. Compared with sham operation group， SOD and GSH-Px levels in model group were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， MDA levels were significantly increased （P<0.05）， TNF-α， IL-6 and IL-1β levels were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， the level of SOD in serum of Longshengzhi capsules high-dose group was significantly increased （P<0.05）， the level of GSH-Px in serum of Longshengzhi capsules high-， medium- and low-dose groups was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the level of MDA was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. TNF-α， IL-6 and IL-1β levels were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. HE staining showed that Longshengzhi capsules could improve pathological damage in hippocampus of VD rats. Western blot results showed that compared with sham operation group， the protein expressions of Bax， NF-κB， MMP-9 and ICAM-1 in model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the protein expressions of Bcl-2， Akt and p-Akt were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression of Bax， NF-κB， MMP-9 and ICAM-1 in Longshengzhi capsules high-， medium- and low-dose groups was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the protein expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression of Akt in Longshengzhi capsules high- and medium-dose groups was significantly increased （P<0.05）. The expression of p-Akt protein in Longshengzhi capsules high-dose group was significantly increased （P<0.01）. ConclusionLongshengzhi capsules can improve the cognitive function of VD rats， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of oxidative stress， inflammatory response and apoptosis. ConclusionLongshengzhi capsules can improve the cognitive function of VD rats by inhibiting oxidative stress， inflammatory reaction， and neuronal apoptosis.