Study on the intervention effects of tanshinone extract on Alzheimer's disease model rats and its mechanism

ObjectiveTo explore the intervention effects of tanshinone extract on Alzheimer's disease model rats and its mechanism.

MethodsForty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, low-dose group and high-dose group(10 rats in each group).The low-dose group and high-dose group were given 10 g/L and 30 g/L tanshinone extract by intragastric administration, respectively.The normal group and model group were given 0.9% sodium chloride solution by intragastric administration.The learning and memory ability in each group were tested.The levels of interleukin4(IL-4), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the apoptosis of hippocampal cells in each group was detected using flow cytometry, and the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 were detected using Western blotting.

ResultsThe latency of escape in model group was longer than that in normal group(P < 0.01), and the number of crossing platform in model group was lower than that in normal group(P < 0.01).The escape latency in high-dose group was lower than that in model group and low-dose group(P < 0.01), and the number of crossing platform in high-dose group was more than that in model group and low-dose group(P < 0.01 and P < 0.05).The order of hs-CRP, TNF-α and IL-4 levels from high to low was as follows: model group, high-dose group, low-dose group and normal group(P < 0.01).The order of apoptosis rate of hippocampal cells at different time points was as follows: model group, low-dose group, high-dose group and normal group(P < 0.01).The order of Bcl-2 expression in the four groups from high to low was the normal group, high-dose group, low-dose group and model group(P < 0.01).The expression levels of Bax and caspase-3 were in descending order among the four groups: model group, low-dose group, high-dose group and normal group(P < 0.01).

ConclusionsThe intervention of tanshinone extract on Alzheimer's disease model rats can improve the learning and memory ability, alleviate the inflammatory reaction of brain tissue, regulate the relative expression of apoptosis-related proteins, Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3, and inhibit the apoptosis of hippocampal cells, which has certain neuronal protection effect in Alzheimer's disease rats.