ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system mainly affecting the motor system. Presently, there is no effective and safe drug to treat patients with PD. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE), obtained from leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree, is a complex mixture of ingredients primarily containing two active components: flavonoids and terpenoids. In this study, we investigated the effects of GBE on A53T α-synuclein transgenic mice, a PD model that has better simulated the progression of PD patients than other models such as the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine-induced PD model. METHODS: Fifty α-synuclein A53T transgenic mice were fed and treated with GBE, and locomotor activity was detected by pole test, forced swim test, and wire-hang test. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporters was detected using immunohistochemistry. Superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione peroxidase activity, and malondialdehyde expression were detected using an assay kit. RESULTS: Our results show that GBE treatment improved locomotor activity and that superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase inhibited the expression of methane dicarboxylic aldehyde and recovered the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporters. CONCLUSIONS: The GBE treatment improved locomotor activity and inhibited the development of PD in the A53T α-synuclein transgenic mice, which may be partly responsible for decreased oxidative damage and maintain the normal dopamine homeostasis.
Subject(s)
Antiparkinson Agents/therapeutic use , Mutation/genetics , Parkinson Disease/drug therapy , Parkinson Disease/genetics , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , alpha-Synuclein/genetics , Alanine/genetics , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Ginkgo biloba , Glutathione/metabolism , Glutathione Peroxidase/metabolism , Locomotion/drug effects , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Transgenic , Muscle Strength/drug effects , Muscle Strength/physiology , Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism , Swimming/psychology , Threonine/geneticsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the immunomodulatory effects of codonopsis, atractylodes macrocephala, tuceahoe, broiled licorice and sijunzi decoction on D-galactose-induced aging mice. METHODS: The models of aging mice were induced by D-galactose, the garlands and splenic lymphocyte transformation test (MTT) were used to determine the ability of erythrocytes immune and lymphocytes conversion; The content of maleic dialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione pemfidase (GSH-Px) in serum were detected. RESULTS: Sijunzi decoction and its disassembled prescription codonopsis could significantly increase the ability of T lymphocyte transformation (P<0.05); Atractylodes macrocephala and sijunzi decoction could significantly enhance C(3b) garlands ratio (P<0.05) and decrease IC garlands ratio (P<0.05) on D-galactose-induced aging mice. Sijunzi decoction significantly increased the activity of SOD and GSH-Px (P<0.01), and decreased the content of MDA in serum (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Sijunzi decoction and its disassembled prescription codonopsis, atractylodes macrocephala can improve the immunomodulatory effects on D-galactose-induced aging mice; but tuceahoe and broiled licorice have no obvious effects.