OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on hippocampal oxidative stress in aged mice with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and explore the relevant mechanism of EA pretreatment on the improvement of learning and memory in POCD aged mice. METHODS: A total of 72 healthy male aged mice were randomized into a blank group, a model group, a medication group and an EA group, 18 mice in each one. In each group, 1-day, 3-day and 7-day subgroups were divided separately, 6 mice in each subgroup. In the EA group, "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Dazhui" (GV 14) were selected and stimulated with EA, using continuous wave (15 Hz, 1 mA), continuously for 30 min, once a day, for 5 days consecutively. In the medication group, 10% minocycline was injected intraperitoneally, 40 mg/kg, once a day, consecutively for 5 days. In the blank and the control group, intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% sodium chloride solution was given with equal dosage. Except the blank group, at the end of intervention, partial hepatectomy was conducted to establish POCD model in the rest groups. Morris water maze test was adopted to evaluate the learning and memory ability of the aged mice. ELISA was used to determine the contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hippocampal tissue. Western blot method was applied to detect the protein expressions of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD 1) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD 2) in the hippocampal tissue. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, the percentage of platform quadrant residence time was obviously reduced in the mice in the model group ( CONCLUSION Electroacupuncture pretreatment at "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Dazhui" (GV 14) may increase the learning and memory ability of POCD aged mice, which is probably related to the decrease of oxidative stress and the strengthening of hippocampal antioxidant capacity.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Hippocampus ; Male ; Memory ; Mice ; Oxidative Stress ; Postoperative Cognitive Complications

Objective:To investigate constituents containing phenolic hydroxyl or carboxylic acid （excluding diarylheptanoids） from Curcumae Rhizoma and Sparganii Rhizoma herbal pair and single herb. Method:Multiple chromatographic separation techniques， including silica gel，MCI gel and Sephadex LH-20 gel， were employed to isolate and purify the compounds. Their structures were identified by means of the nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR），mass spectrometry （MS） and physicochemical properties. Constituents were quickly analyzed by UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MSⁿ，and scanned in positive and negative ion modes. Result:These compounds were determined as trans-p-hydroxycinnamic acid（1），vanillic acid（2），protocatechuic acid（3），fumalic acid（4），succinic acid（5），succinic acid monomethyl ester（6），docosanoic acid（7），azelaic acid（8） and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde（9）. Forty compounds were speculated by comparing mass spectrometry data，retention times of some compounds and reference materials，including 14 phenols and 26 organic acids. Among the compounds of herbal pair，8 phenols and 22 organic acids in Sparganii Rhizoma as well as 11 phenols and 13 organic acids in Curcumae Rhizoma were identified. Cleavage pathways of main compounds were described. Conclusion:There are abundant phenols and organic acids in Curcumae Rhizoma and Sparganii Rhizoma herbal pair and single herb. The results enrich pharmacodynamic material basis of Curcumae Rhizoma and Sparganii Rhizoma herbal pair.