Danggui-Shaoyao-San Improves Learning and Memory in Female SAMP8 via Modulation of Estradiol.

Yan Huang,Gang Liu,Wen-Xia Zhou,Lei Sun,Zeng-Yao Hu,Yong-Xiang Zhang,Lei Shu,Shan-Yi Qiao,Hui Yuan

doi:10.1155/2014/327294

Abstract

Previous studies showed that Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS), a traditional Chinese medicinal prescription, could alleviate cognitive dysfunction of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, the mechanisms remain unclear; we have now examined the effect of DSS on SAMP8 and elucidated the possible mechanism. Animals were treated with DSS for 2 months, and step-down test and Morris water maze (MWM) test were used to evaluated cognitive abilities. The estradiol (E2), NO, and glycine in blood plasma or in hippocampus were detected to explore the possible mechanisms. The latency of SAMP8 in step-down test was shorter than that of age-matched SAMR1, and DSS increased the latency especially in female animals. In MWM test, we got similar results; SAMP8 spent more time to find the platform, and DSS decreased the time before finding the platform, with little effect on swim velocity, during the training sessions. During test session, DSS increased the time spent in target quadrant especially in female SAMP8. In female SAMP8, plasma E2, NO, and glycine were elevated in plasma or hippocampus tissue. In conclusion, DSS could ameliorate deterioration of cognition in SAMP8, especially in female animals. Increasing E2, NO, and glycine might contribute to the cognitive improvement effect of DSS in female SAMP8.

Highlights

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system in old people [1]
In the step-down test, the latency of senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) is shorter than age-matched Senescenceaccelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1), especially in female animals
In the Morris water maze performance training sessions, SAMP8 took more time to find the platform compared with SAMR1

Summary

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system in old people [1]. Many studies have showed that women are more vulnerable to AD than men [2,3,4]. Previous studies demonstrated that women with lower level of estrogen have higher risk for AD compared with age matched controls [11,12,13]. DSS was initially recorded in “Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber,” which was compiled by Zhong-Jing Zhang during the Han dynasty. This prescription was traditionally used to relieve menorrhagia and other abdominal pains of women; modulation of estrogen is believed to be one of its mechanisms. DSS could increase the estrogen level in OVX rats [23] and stimulates estrogen production in vitro [24]

Methods

Results

Conclusion