The Alzheimer's disease-contending effects of Tianma-Gouteng Pair, a traditional Chinese medicine, were discovered through its lowering of proteins associated with the disease in mouse models.
The research examined the difference between two types of genetically engineered mice (TgCRND8 and 5xFAD). These mice, aged three months, were orally given Tianma-Gouteng Pair (TGP) for 4 and 6 months respectively. The study conducted behavioral tests to assess the neuropsychological functions of the mice. The molecular mechanisms of TGP were studied using immunofluorescence and western blotting assays.
The study discovered TGP's neuroprotective impacts against Alzheimer's disease even in two different mouse models, both of which held varied cognition impairments, neuroinflammation status, and beta-amyloid (Aβ) burdens. The treatment improved behaviors related to anxiety, increased spatial learning capability and recognition memory, while also reducing Aβ levels and accumulation, tau hyperphosphorylation and the densities of activated microglia and astrocytes in both mouse models. TGP regulated the proteins related to Alzheimer's, namely processed beta-amyloid precursor protein, by inhibiting the enzymes involved in Aβ production and activating those that degrade Aβ. Lastly, it regulated sterol response element-binding protein 2 and EPhA4/c-Abl signaling pathways in the mouse brains.
