Neural Regeneration Research (Jan 2015)

Effective components of Chinese herbs reduce central nervous system function decline induced by iron overload

  • Xian-hui Dong,
  • Jiang-tao Bai,
  • Wei-na Kong,
  • Xiao-ping He,
  • Peng Yan,
  • Tie-mei Shao,
  • Wen-guo Yu,
  • Xi-qing Chai,
  • Yan-hua Wu,
  • Cong LIu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/1673-5374.156981
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 5
pp. 778 – 785

Abstract

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Abnormally increased levels of iron in the brain trigger cascade amplification in Alzheimer′s disease patients, resulting in neuronal death. This study investigated whether components extracted from the Chinese herbs epimedium herb, milkvetch root and kudzuvine root could relieve the abnormal expression of iron metabolism-related protein in Alzheimer′s disease patients. An APP swe/PS1ΔE9 double transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer′s disease was used. The intragastric administration of compounds from epimedium herb, milkvetch root and kudzuvine root improved pathological alterations such as neuronal edema, increased the number of neurons, downregulated divalent metal transporter 1 expression, upregulated ferroportin 1 expression, and inhibited iron overload in the cerebral cortex of mice with Alzheimer′s disease. These compounds reduced iron overload-induced impairment of the central nervous system, indicating a new strategy for developing novel drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer′s disease.

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