Ethnopharmacological significance: Bu-Wang-San (BWS) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of learning and memory impairment. The effect of BWS on neuroprotection and how BWS increases CA1 dendritic spine synapse density in menopaused women was investigated in the model of ovariectomized (OVX) rats.
Materials and methods: Sixteen OVX rats were divided into two groups, the OVX group and OVX+BWS group. After 3 months, Morris water maze was used to assess spatial acquisition and spatial retention. Swim time, swim distance, swim speed, quadrant time and platform crossing were recorded. The ultrastructure of the pyramidal cell and spine synapse density were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Results: In the spatial acquisition and spatial retention phase of testing, BWS group functioned significantly better than control group. Ultrastructural observation of the hippocampal CA1 region of OVX group showed swelling of mitochondria, the broken and reduced cristas and even crista dissolution; however, the mitochondria were protected well in BWS group. In addition, BWS significantly increased spine synapse density.
Conclusions: These results suggested that BWS could improve cognitive ability of menopause-induced learning and memory impairment. The positive effect of BWS on rat learning and memory was associated with increase of spinal synapse density and protection of mitochondrial function of the pyramidal cell in hippocampal CA1 region from menopause-induced injury.