Effect of Bushenyisui Formula on brain tissue apoptosis and Bcl-2 in beta-amyloid protein-induced Alzheimer's disease rat models

Objective

To investigate the effect of Bushenyisui Formula on cell apoptosis and positive B cell lymphoma (Bcl-2) in the Brain of rat models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) induced by beta-amyloid protein (Aβ) and the mechanism underlying the effect.

Methods

Total of 40 SD rats, 20 females and 20 males, were randomly assigned to 4 groups, controlled group (A), model group (B), conventional treatment group (C) and Bushenyisui Formula treatment (BYFT) group (D), 10 rats in each group. Aβ 1–42 was injected into the bilateral hippocampus of the rats in group B, C and D to create the models of AD. Sham operation was performed on the rats of group A in the same way by injecting equal volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution into their bilateral hippocampus. 5 days after operation, Bushenyisui Formula was intraperitoneally administered at a dose of 450 mg/kg to the rats of group D (QD) for 20 days. Equal volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution was intraperitoneally injected into the rats of group B with the same procedure. C suspension (20 mg/mL) was intraperitoneally injected into the rats of group B with the same procedure. The number of apoptotic cells in Brain and the positive Bcl-2 were counted. The changes of learning and memory abilities were evaluated using Y-maze.

Results

Right after the establishment of the models, group B, C and D compared to group A respectively, the outcomes of Y-maze were significantly different from that of group A, which suggested obvious learning and memory disorder in those groups (P<0.01). After treatment, the times of electronic shocks of group C and D were significantly less than that of group B (P<0.05), and the numbers of apoptotic cells and positive Bcl-2 were significantly different from those of group B, apoptotic sells' number of group C and D smaller than that of group B and the number of positive Bcl-2 greater than that of group B.

Conclusion

Bushenyisui Formula could increase the number of Bcl-2 in brain, which improved the function of nervous system pertaining to learning and memory abilities.