• Sheng-hui Chu, Hai-yan Hu, Zhan-wang Tan, Xiang Chen, Wen-hua Wang, and Xiao-yan Zhang.
• Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325003, China.
• Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2012 Oct 1;37(19):2947-50.

ObjectiveTo study the effect of qingxin kaiqiao formula and saponin on the learning and memory ability and the expression of the apoptosis signal transducers Abeta and betaAPP in AD rat brain.MethodThe comparative observation method was adopted for the animal test. Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, namely the normal group, the model group, the aricept group, the qingxin kaiqiao formula group and the saponin group, with eight rats in each group. Abeta(25-35) (10 g x L(-1)) was injected into their bilateral amygdala to establish the AD rat model. Since the next day, they were intragastrically administered with Aricept (1.67 mg x kg(-1)), Qingxin Kaiqiao decoction (12.67 mL x kg(-1)), saponin (6.30 mg x kg(-1)) and double distilled water filling for 2 weeks to observe their spatial memory ability in a Morris water maze and study the expression of Caspase-3, Abeta and betaAPP in brain tissues by immunohistochemistry.ResultEach traditional Chinese medicine groups showed significant improvement in the learning and memory ability of AD rats and notable differences (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) compared with the control group. The qingxin kaiqiao formula group and the saponin group showed a decrease in the expressions of Caspase-3, Abeta and betaAPP in cerebral cortex and hippocampus area, displaying notable differences (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) compared with the control group.Conclusionqingxin kaiqiao formula and saponin can obviously improve the learning and memory ability of AD rats with by decreasing the expression of Caspase-3, Abeta and betaAPP in cortex and hippocampus.

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