Objective: To study the influence of Anshen Dingzhi Ling (ADL) on the expression of dopamine receptor-1 (DRD1) and dopamine receptor-2 (DRD2) in prefrontal cortex and striatum of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

and to investigate the mechanisim of ADL treatment for ADHD. Method: Thirty SHR rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: untreated model group

ritalin group (2.1 mg ·kg-1 by gavage)

high dose of ADL group

middle dose of ADL group and low dose of ADL group (ig ADL with the crude drug dosage 34.1

17.1 and 8.5 g ·kg-1 respectively). The normal control group includes 5 Wistar rats (given normal saline 10 mL ·kg-1 by gavage). The rats were killed after 14 days of treatment

then the expression of DRD1

DRD2 mRNA and protein in the prefrontal cortex and striatum of rat brain were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Result: Compared with normal group

the levels of DRD1

DRD2 mRNA and protein in model rats reduced significantly (P<0.01); the levels of DRD1

DRD2 mRNA and protein of ritalin group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P<0.01); the levels of DRD1

DRD2 mRNA and protein of the middle dose group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P<0.01);the levels of DRD1

DRD2 mRNA and protein of ADL low dose group and high dose group were higher than that in the model group

but there is no significant difference. Conclusion: ADL can up-regulate the expression of DRD1

DRD2 mRNA and protein in the prefrontal cortex and striatum in SHR

may be related with the influence to the activity of adenylyl cyclase. It shows that ADL plays an important role on regulation to the prefrontal-striatal pathway

and DRD1

DRD2 involved in the adjustment process

the ADL eventually has therapeutic effect for the treatment of ADHD.