Buyuan Congnao decoction decreases hippocampal beta-amyloid expression in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease☆

A mixture of ibotenic acid and β-amyloid 1–42 was injected into the hippocampus of a rat model of Alzheimer's disease, followed by intragastric administration of a traditional Chinese medicine Buyuan Congnao decoction (main components included radix astragali, radix polygoni multiflori preparata, rhizoma acori talarinowii, radix polygalae, fructus alpiniae oxyphyllae, and radix glycyrrhizae preparata) and a piracetam suspension. Following treatment with traditional Chinese medicine or western medicine, β-amyloid expression decreased and neuronal morphology was normal in the rat hippocampal CA1 region, in addition to significantly shortened average latency in the Morris water navigation task. These findings suggested that compound prescription of Buyuan Congnao decoction, similar to the curative effects of piracetam, decreased hippocampal β-amyloid expression in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease, as well as improved learning and memory.