title: Effective components of Chinese herbs reduce central nervous system function decline induced by iron overload.
abstract: Abnormally increased levels of iron in the brain trigger cascade amplification in Alzheimer's disease patients, resulting in neuronal death. This study investigated whether components extracted from the Chinese herbs epimedium herb, milkvetch root and kudzuvine root could relieve the abnormal expression of iron metabolism-related protein in Alzheimer's disease patients. An APPswe /PS1ΔE9 double transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease was used. The intragastric administration of compounds from epimedium herb, milkvetch root and kudzuvine root improved pathological alterations such as neuronal edema, increased the number of neurons, downregulated divalent metal transporter 1 expression, upregulated ferroportin 1 expression, and inhibited iron overload in the cerebral cortex of mice with Alzheimer's disease. These compounds reduced iron overload-induced impairment of the central nervous system, indicating a new strategy for developing novel drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Jiang-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Hebei Chemical and Pharmaceutical Vocational and Technical College, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Na
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: The 266 Hospital of Chinese PLA, Chengde, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Hebei Chemical and Pharmaceutical Vocational and Technical College, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Tie-Mei
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Hebei Chemical and Pharmaceutical Vocational and Technical College, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Hebei Chemical and Pharmaceutical Vocational and Technical College, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Xi-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; divalent metal transporter 1; epimedium herb; ferroportin 1; kudzuvine root; mice; milkvetch root; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neurodegenerative diseases; transgenic animal models