title: Ginsenoside Rg5 improves cognitive dysfunction and beta-amyloid deposition in STZ-induced memory impaired rats via attenuating neuroinflammatory responses.
abstract: Neuroinflammatory responses play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Ginsenoside Rg5 (Rg5), an abundant natural compound in Panax ginseng, has been found to be beneficial in treating AD. In the present study, we demonstrated that Rg5 improved cognitive dysfunction and attenuated neuroinflammatory responses in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced memory impaired rats. Cognitive deficits were ameliorated with Rg5 (5, 10 and 20mg/kg) treatment in a dose-dependent manner together with decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β (P<0.05) in brains of STZ rats. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was also significantly reduced by Rg5 whereas choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity was remarkably increased in the cortex and hippocampus of STZ-induced AD rats (P<0.05). In addition, Congo red and immunohistochemistry staining results showed that Rg5 alleviated Aβ deposition but enhanced the expressions of insulin-like growth factors 1 (IGF-1) and brain derived neurophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex (P<0.05). Western blot analysis also demonstrated that Rg5 increased remarkably BDNF and IGF-1 expressions whereas decreased significantly Aβ deposits (P<0.05). Furthermore, it was observed that the expressions of COX-2 and iNOS were significantly up-regulated in STZ-induced AD rats and down-regulated strongly (P<0.05) by Rg5 compared with control rats. These data demonstrated that STZ-induced learning and memory impairments in rats could be improved by Rg5, which was associated with attenuating neuroinflammatory responses. Our findings suggested that Rg5 could be a beneficial agent for the treatment of AD.
authors: College of Agriculture, Anhui Agricultural University, Anhui, Hefei, 230036, PR China.
authors: Shenghui
authors: S
authors: Chu
authors: Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Meteria Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, 210028, PR China; Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China.
authors: Junfei
authors: J
authors: Gu
authors: Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Meteria Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, 210028, PR China. Electronic address: wenmoxiushi@163.com.
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Feng
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, PR China.
authors: Jiping
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Meteria Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, 210028, PR China.
authors: Minghua
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Meteria Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, 210028, PR China.
authors: Xiaobin
authors: X
authors: Jia
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, PR China. Electronic address: liumin2008wz@163.com.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Liu
authors: College of Agriculture, Anhui Agricultural University, Anhui, Hefei, 230036, PR China. Electronic address: yaodanian@ahau.edu.cn.
authors: Danian
authors: D
authors: Yao
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D036145:Ginsenosides; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C572381:ginsenoside Rg5; D013311:Streptozocin; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Ginsenoside Rg5; Inflammation; β-Amyloid