XIAO Yi-sheng, GAO Meng, HOU Ji-hua. Effect of Extracts from Polygonati Rhizoma and Pheretima on Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor in Brain of Senile Dementia Rats[J]. Chinese journal of experimental traditional medical formulae, 2017, 23(14): 140-145.
XIAO Yi-sheng, GAO Meng, HOU Ji-hua. Effect of Extracts from Polygonati Rhizoma and Pheretima on Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor in Brain of Senile Dementia Rats[J]. Chinese journal of experimental traditional medical formulae, 2017, 23(14): 140-145. DOI: 10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.2017140140.
Objective: To observe the effects of Extracts from Polygonati Rhizoma and Pheretima (EPP) on the number of α3 and α7-nicotinic acid type acetylcholine receptors(nAChR) neurons
the expression of proteins and mRNA in brains of senile dementia rats. Method: The 40 SD rats were randomly divided into normal group
model group
piracetam (positive control drug
0.6 g·kg-1·d-1) group
and EPP (equivalent raw drug dose
4 g·kg-1·d-1) group. The senile dementia models were established by nuchal subcutaneous injection of 1% D-galactose (5 mL·kg-1·d-1
3 consecutive weeks) and intraperitoneal injection of Scopolamine (2 mg·kg-1·d-1
2 consecutive weeks) in rats. 1 week after modeling
the rats in piracetam group and EPP group received corresponding drugs daily by intragastric administration
and the rats in control group and model group were given with normal saline 1 mL. At the end of the experiment
all the rats were sacrificed
and their brain tissues were taken out. Half of the brain tissues was fixed by 10% neutral formaldehyde solution for biopsy
and the other half was homogenated on ice to extract mRNA and protein. The count of positive neurons in hippocampal CA1
CA3 area and S1Tr areas were detected by Nissl staining and immunohistochemistry methods; The α3 and α7-nAChR mRNA and protein expression levels in the brains of senile dementia rats were measured by Real-time PCR and Western blot respectively. Result: As compared with the normal group
the counts of neurons in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 area and S1Tr area were decreased
and the expression levels of α3 and α7-nAChR mRNA and proteins in the brains were also decreased in model group (P<0.01); EPP could increase the count of neurons in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 area and S1Tr area; EPP could increase the expression of α3 and α7-nAChR mRNA and protein in the brains of dementia rats as compared with the model group (P<0.05
P<0.01). Conclusion: EPP can protect the nerve cells in the brain's cognitive learning and memory related areas
and can simultaneously trigger α3 and α7-nAChR receptors to increase central acetylcholine contents. Therefore
EPP could increase the activity of central cholinergic system in senile dementia rats.