The total triterpenoid saponins of Xanthoceras sorbifolia improve learning and memory impairments through against oxidative stress and synaptic damage.

BACKGROUND: X. sorbifolia is a widely cultivated ecologicalcrop in the north of China which is used to produce biodiesel fuel. It also possesses special medicinal value and has attracted keen interests of researchers to explore its bioactivity. PURPOSE: To extract the total triterpenoid saponins from the husk of X. sorbifolia (TSX) and investigate its effects on Alzheimer's disease (AD). STUDY DESIGN: TSX was prepared via modern extraction techniques. Its effects on two AD animal models, as well as the preliminary mechanism were investigated comprehensively. METHODS: The behavioral experiments including Y maze test, Morris water maze test and passive avoidance test were performed to observe the learning and memory abilities of the animals. ELISA assays, transmission electron microscope observation and Western blotting were employed in mechanism study. RESULTS: TSX, the main composition of X. sorbifolia, accounted for 88.77% in the plant material. It could significantly increase the spontaneous alternation in Y maze test (F (6, 65)=3.209, P<0.01), prolong the swimming time in the fourth quadrant in probe test of Morris water maze test (F (6, 71)=4.019, P<0.01), and increase the escape latency in passive avoidance test (F (6, 65)=3.684, P<0.01) in AD model animals. The preliminary mechanism research revealed that TSX could significantly increase the contents of hippocampal Ach and ChAT, and enhance activity of ChAT in hippocampus of quinolinic acid injected rats (F (5, 61)=3.915, P 0.01; F (5, 61)=3.623, P<0.01, F (5, 61)=4.344, P<0.01, respectively). It could also increase the activities of T-AOC and T-SOD, and decrease the content of MDA in hippocampus of Aß1-42 injected mice (F (5, 30)=5.193, P<0.01, F (5, 30)=2.865, P<0.05, F (5, 30)=4.735, P<0.01, respectively). Moreover, it significantly increased the expressions of SYP, PSD-95 and GAP-43 in hippocampus (F (4, 27)=3.495, P<0.05; F (4, 27)=2.965, P<0.05; F (4, 27)=4.365, P<0.01, respectively), and improved the synaptic ultra-structure damage in model rats. CONCLUSION: TSX could significantly improve the impairments of learning and memory. The preliminary mechanism might associate with its protection effects against oxidative stress damage, cholinergic system deficiency and synaptic damage. TSX are perfectly suitable for AD patients as medicine or functional food, which would be a new candidate to treat AD.

A herbal composition of semen hoveniae, radix puerariae, and fructus schisandrae shows potent protective effects on acute alcoholic intoxication in rodent models.

This study is designed to evaluate the effects of a herbal composition of Semen Hoveniae, Radix Puerariae and Fructus Schisandrae (SRF) against acute alcoholic intoxication. The animals were treated with SRF extract (SRFE) for 14 days, and ethanol was conducted subsequent to the final treatment. The effects of SRFE on righting reflex, inebriety rates, kinetic parameters of blood ethanol and acetaldehyde were determined. In addition; levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), the activities of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), selected antioxidative enzymes, and the contents of malonaldehyde (MDA) were measured. SRFE-pretreated rodents exhibited lower rates of intoxication, longer times to loss of righting reflex, and shortened times to recovery of righting reflex than in controls. The peak concentrations and area under the time-concentration curves were lower in the pretreated animals than in controls, which corresponded to higher levels of ADH and ALDH in both gastrointestines and livers of the SRFE-treated animals. The activities of CYP2E1 were lower in SRFE-pretreated animals, which also exhibited higher activities of some antioxidant enzymes and lower hepatic MDA levels. These findings suggest that the anti-inebriation effects of SRFE may involve inhibition of ethanol absorption, promotion of ethanol metabolism, and enhancing hepatic anti-oxidative functions.