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Combination of schisandrin and nootkatone exerts neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer’s disease mice model

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Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases which seriously affect the quality of life of the elderly. Schisandrin (SCH) and nootkatone (NKT) are the two marked active components in ASHP. In this study, the effects of Alpinia oxyphylla—Schisandra chinensis herb pair (ASHP) as well as its bioactive components on cognitive deficiency and dementia were revealed via Aβ1–42-induced AD in mouse. Morris water maze test showed that acute administration of ASHP and SCH + NKT treatments had higher discrimination index in the object recognition task, more quadrant dwell time and shorter escape latency compared with those in the Morris water maze. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were decreased after ASHP and SCH + NKT treatment. The inflammatory response was attenuated by inhibiting TLR4/ NF-κB/ NLRP3 pathway. In addition, ASHP and SCH + NKT treatments significantly restored the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and inducible nitric oxide syntheses (iNOS), and the levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO). The histopathological changes of hippocampus were noticeably improved after ASHP and SCH + NKT treatments. These findings demonstrate that ASHP as well as its bioactive components exerted a protective effects on cognitive disorder, inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 81573580). Key laboratory of polysaccharide bioactivity evaluation of TCM of Liaoning Province. Key techniques study of consistency evaluation of drug quality and therapeutic effect (18-400-4-08) and Liaoning Distinguished Professor Project for Ying Jia (2017).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang, 110016, People’s Republic of China

    Yu Qi, Xinhui Cheng & Huiting Jing

  2. School of Functional Food and wine, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang, 110016, People’s Republic of China

    Tingxu Yan, Feng Xiao, Bo Wu & Ying Jia

  3. School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang, 110016, People’s Republic of China

    Kaishun Bi

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  1. Yu Qi
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Correspondence to Kaishun Bi or Ying Jia.

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Qi, Y., Cheng, X., Jing, H. et al. Combination of schisandrin and nootkatone exerts neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer’s disease mice model. Metab Brain Dis 34, 1689–1703 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-019-00475-4

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