Qisheng Wan formula ameliorates cognitive impairment of Alzheimer's disease rat via inflammation inhibition and intestinal microbiota regulation

Wei Xiong; Xiaoqin Zhao; Qing Xu; Guihua Wei; Liudai Zhang; Yuqing Fan; Lingmiao Wen; Yanjun Liu; Tinglan Zhang; Li Zhang; Yan Tong; Qiaozhi Yin; Tian-E Zhang; Zhiyong Yan

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114598

Qisheng Wan formula ameliorates cognitive impairment of Alzheimer's disease rat via inflammation inhibition and intestinal microbiota regulation

J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Jan 10:282:114598. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114598. Epub 2021 Sep 4.

Authors

Wei Xiong¹, Xiaoqin Zhao², Qing Xu³, Guihua Wei⁴, Liudai Zhang⁵, Yuqing Fan⁶, Lingmiao Wen⁷, Yanjun Liu⁸, Tinglan Zhang⁹, Li Zhang¹⁰, Yan Tong¹¹, Qiaozhi Yin¹², Tian-E Zhang¹³, Zhiyong Yan¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: 1203278778@qq.com.
² School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: 90667572@qq.com.
³ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: 1907976809@qq.com.
⁴ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: 354146966@qq.com.
⁵ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: 2909923127@qq.com.
⁶ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: 1074937698@qq.com.
⁷ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: wen_lingmiao@163.com.
⁸ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: liuyanjun@my.swjtu.edu.cn.
⁹ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: ztl0218sc@163.com.
¹⁰ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: 9561151517@qq.com.
¹¹ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: tongyanmail@126.com.
¹² School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: 894903353@qq.com.
¹³ School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: zhte2003@aliyun.com.
¹⁴ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: yzhiy@swjtu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34492320
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114598

Abstract

Ethnopharmacology relevance: Qisheng Wan formula (QWF) was first described in the book Sheng Ji Zong Lu in 1117. The book states that QWF can cure forgetfulness, improve the mind, and make people smart. Hence, QWF has been widely used to treat patients with forgetfulness or dementia. QWF, a classic Chinese formulation, comprises seven herbal drugs: the sclerotium of Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, bark of Cinnamomum cassia Presl, root of Polygala tenuifolia Willd., root and rhizome of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey., root of Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr., root and rhizome of Acorus tatarinowii Schott, and root bark of Lycium chinense Mill.

Aim of the study: This study aimed to utilize modern pharmacological methods to evaluate the therapeutic effects and explore the underlying mechanism of QWF action on rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Materials and methods: The chemical profile of QWF was characterized using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The AD rat model was established via a bilateral intraventricular injection of amyloid-β (1-42) (Aβ_1-42). The rats were subsequently treated daily with QWF for 4 weeks. The Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate the cognition processes in the rats, whereas histological changes in the hippocampus were observed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression levels of Aβ_1-42, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 in the hippocampus and colon were assessed. Moreover, the diversity and composition of the intestinal microbiota were analyzed using 16S rDNA gene sequencing.

Results: One hundred and fourteen compounds were characterized in QWF. QWF significantly ameliorated the cognition processes and histopathological damages due to AD in rats by decreasing the deposition of Aβ_1-42 and downregulating the expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-6. QWF also modulated changes in the diversity and composition of intestinal microbiota to suppress the relative abundance of inflammation-associated microbiota.

Conclusion: This study showed that QWF can suppress proinflammatory factors and modulate the intestinal microbiota in AD rats.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Inflammatory factors; Intestinal microbiota; Morris water maze; Qisheng Wan formula.

MeSH terms

Acorus*
Amyloid beta-Peptides / analysis*
Animals
Behavior, Animal / drug effects
Cinnamomum aromaticum*
Dementia / drug therapy*
Disease Models, Animal
Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects
Hippocampus* / drug effects
Hippocampus* / pathology
Maze Learning / drug effects
Memory Disorders / drug therapy*
Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
Phytochemicals / pharmacology
Rats
Wolfiporia*

Substances

Amyloid beta-Peptides
Drugs, Chinese Herbal
Neuroprotective Agents
Phytochemicals