BACKGROUND:Total flavonoids of hippophae have different degrees of regulation effect on the immune system. However, there is no available evidence addressing the effect of total flavonoids of hippophae on vascular dementia inflammatory factor. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of total flavonoids of hippophae on serum tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1βlevels in a rat model of vascular dementia, and to discuss its interventional mechanism for vascular dementia. METHODS:A total of 72 Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups:sham operation, model, control, high-dose, medium-dose, and low-dose of total flavonoids of hippophae groups. Except for the sham operation group, rats in the other five groups were applied to establish vascular dementia models using the improved“vascular occlusion”method. Sham operation group was only subjected to the isolation of bilateral common carotid artery, without ligation. At 1 day after modeling, rats in control group was intragastrical y given Ginkgo biloba extracts 48 mg/kg?d, while rats in total flavonoids of hippophae groups were given 200, 100, 50 mg/kg?d of total flavonoids of hippophae. Model group and sham operation group received equal volume of saline. After 30 days of administration, rats were detected in Morris water maze. Serum tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1βlevels of rats in different groups were detected after intervention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with sham operation group, the vascular dementia model rats had a disordered learning and memory ability, and increased levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1β(P<0.05). After intervention of Ginkgo biloba extracts and total flavonoids of hippophae, the learning and memory abilities were improved, and serum tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1βlevels were decreased (P<0.05). Total flavonoids of hippophae can reduce serum tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1βlevels in vascular dementia rats. This may be the main mechanism of treating vascular dementia.