OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on the expressions of phosphory protein Tau (P-Tau) and caspase-3 in brain slices from AD model rats.

METHODThe brains of 5-week-old Wista rats were cut into slices which were 400 microm thick. These brain slices were divided into five groups: normal contral group, untreated group, low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose ginsenoside Rg1 groups (60, 120, 240 micromol x L(-1)). And there were 10 slices in each group. These brain slices were cultured with artificial cerebrospinal fluid. After the brain slices in ginsenoside Rg1 groups were administration with ginsenoside Rg1 for 2 h preventively, brain slices in untreated group and ginsenoside Rg1 groups were administrated with okadaic acid (OA) for 3 h to induce hyperphosphorylation of Tau protein to prepare AD models. And the effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on the expressions of P-Tau and caspase-3 in brain slices from AD model rats in each group were observed with immunohistochemistry and image analysis technology.

RESULTThe levels of the expressions of P-Tau and caspase-3 in the untreated group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (P < 0.01). Compared with untreated group, the levels of the expressions of P-Tau and caspase-3 in ginsenoside Rg1 groups were significantly low (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGinsenoside Rg1 could inhibit the expression of P-Tau to slow the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and could inhibit the expression of caspase-3 to inhibit neuronal apoptosis to protect the nerve cells, so as to play the role of anti-dementia.