title: Shengmai Formula Ameliorates Pathological Characteristics in AD C. elegans.
abstract: Shengmai (SM) formula, a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula, is composed of Panax ginseng (Pg), Ophiopogon japonicus (Oj), and Schisandra Chinesis (Sc). SM has been clinically used to treat heart failure and ischemic heart disease. Although SM formula has been reported to be potential for fighting against Alzheimer's disease (AD) by previous works, there are many gaps in our knowledge on its usage in AD treatment on an organism level and will then need to be further clarified. In this study, transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans expressing human Aβ1-42are used to evaluate SM formula efficacy to treat AD phenotype and to investigate its underlying mechanism. The results showed that SM formula ameliorated AD pathological characteristics of paralysis behavior and chemotaxis defect in transgenic C. elegans. With SM treatment, the number of Aβ deposits decreased, the levels of gene expressions of hsp16-2, hsp16-41, ace-1, ace-2, and TNFA1P1 homolog genes were down-regulated. Our results also showed that Oj exhibited more stronger effect on delaying paralysis in worms than Pg and Sc did, and synergistic action was observed between Pg and Oj, and Sc further enhanced the activity of Pg/Oj combination on delaying paralysis behavior. Further, SM with herbs of Pg, Oj, and Sc at a dose proportion of 9:9:6 exhibited superior therapeutic efficacy in comparison with herbs at other dose proportions. After SM formula extracted by ethanol, it delayed AD symptoms on a wider dose from 0.2 to 10.0 mg/mL with no toxic effect. These results provided more evidence for SM formula being potential to be used to treat AD.
authors.affiliation: Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, No. 199, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, No. 199, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
authors.forename: Dejuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.affiliation: Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, No. 199, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, No. 199, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, No. 199, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
authors.forename: Zhanxin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, No. 199, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
authors.forename: Dongqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.affiliation: Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, No. 199, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, No. 199, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China. lihy@lzu.edu.cn.|Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China. lihy@lzu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D031441:Ophiopogon; D005894:Panax; D010243:Paralysis / Q000188:drug therapy; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics*; D032141:Schisandra
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); C009252:fructus schizandrae, radix ginseng, radix ophiopogonis drug combination
keywords: AD; Caenorhabditis elegans; Chemotaxis; Paralysis; SM formula; Synergistic effect