The study of therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of Schisandra chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa combined treatment in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Qingyu Cao; Jiaqi Liu; Chengguo Pang; Kemeng Liu; Ruijiao Wang; Yuanjin Chen; Xu Yuan; Meng Zhang; Jiating Ni; Peiliang Dong; Hua Han

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21942

The study of therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of Schisandra chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa combined treatment in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Heliyon. 2023 Nov 7;9(11):e21942. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21942. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Qingyu Cao¹, Jiaqi Liu¹, Chengguo Pang², Kemeng Liu¹, Ruijiao Wang², Yuanjin Chen¹, Xu Yuan², Meng Zhang², Jiating Ni², Peiliang Dong¹, Hua Han²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Chinese Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150000, China.
² College of Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150000, China.

Abstract

Schisandra chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa are traditional Chinese herbs used to treat neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigates the combined effects of SC and ER on learning and memory in an Alzheimer's disease rat model and their underlying mechanisms.

Methods: High-performance liquid chromatography was employed to analyze the primary active constituents of Schisandra and Evodia. The effects of the combined treatment of Schisandra and Evodia on learning and memory in an Alzheimer's disease rat model were evaluated through Morris water maze and Hematoxylin-Eosin staining experiments. Immunohistochemical analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of S-E on Aβ_1-42 and P-tau proteins. Western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were utilized to quantify the expression of pivotal proteins and genes within the BDNF/TRKB/CREB and GSK-3β/Tau pathways.

Results: The treatment group exhibited significant neuroprotective effects, ameliorating learning and memory impairments in the Alzheimer's disease rat model. The treatment regimen modulated the activity of the BDNF/TRKB/CREB and GSK-3β/Tau pathways by influencing the expression of relevant genes, thereby reducing the generation of Aβ_1-42 and P-Tau proteins and inhibiting the deposition of senile plaques. Furthermore, among the three treatment groups, the combined treatment demonstrated notably superior therapeutic effects on Alzheimer's disease compared to the single-drug treatment groups.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid-β; Evodia rutaecarpa; P-Tau; Schisandra chinensis.