Protective effects of Zhibai Dihuang Pills on neurons in mice with D-galactose cognitive dysfunction
10.3760/cma.j.cn115398-20240622-00224
- VernacularTitle:知柏地黄丸对D-半乳糖致认知功能障碍小鼠神经元的保护作用
- Author:
Meiling JIN
1
;
Ziyue ZHU
;
Xue CHEN
;
Qing LIU
;
Tongtong CHEN
;
Xia LEI
;
Ning ZHANG
Author Information
1. 黑龙江中医药大学基础医学院，哈尔滨 150040
- Keywords:
Zhi bai di huang pill;
Cognition disorders;
Hippocampus;
PI3K/Akt;
Synapse;
Mice
- From:
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;47(1):44-50
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the effects of Zhibai Dihuang Pills on neurons of cognitive dysfunction in D-galactose (D-gal) model mice.Methods:Totally 60 male mice were divided into four groups using a random number table method: control group, model group, donepezil group, and Zhibai Dihuang Pills group, with 15 mice in each group. Except for the control group, the other groups were subcutaneously injected with D-galactose solution at a dosage of 125 mg/kg once a day for 8 weeks to prepare the aging model. Mice in the donepezil group were intragastrically administered donepezil solution at a dosage of 0.65 mg/kg, and those in the Zhibai Dihuang Pills group were intragastrically administered Zhibai Dihuang Pills solution at a dosage of 1.56 g/kg. The control group was intragastrically administered an equal volume of physiological saline once a day for 8 weeks. The object recognition test and Morris Water Maze were used to assess object recognition memory and spatial learning memory abilities of mice in each group, respectively. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were employed to observe the morphology of neurons in the hippocampal region; Golgi staining was used to observe neuronal dendritic spines; Western Blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of PI3K, p-Akt/Akt, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), and synaptophysin (SYP) in the hippocampus region; RT-qPCR was performed to detect mRNA expression of PI3K, Akt and GSK3β in the hippocampus region.Results:Compared with the model group, the recognition index in both the donepezil group and the Zhibai Dihuang Pills group increased ( P<0.05), the escape latency was shortened ( P<0.05), the platform crossings times and the target quadrant dwell time increased ( P<0.05), the number of nerve cells in the hippocampal region increased, arranged closely, the number of Nissl bodies increased, the morphology returned to normal, and the density of dendritic spines increased; the protein expressions of PI3K, PSD-95, and SYP in the hippocampal region and the ratio of p-Akt/Akt increased ( P<0.01), the mRNA level of PI3K increased ( P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the protein and mRNA levels of GSK3β decreased ( P<0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusion:Zhibai Dihuang Pills can improve the learning and memory ability and rescue neuronal damage in D-gal model mice, and the mechanism may be related to the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway and the restoration of synaptic connections.
