OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of combined acupuncture and eugenol on learning-memory ability and the antioxidation system of the hippocampus in Alzheimer disease (AD) rats. METHODS: Sixty Sprague Dawley rats, weighing (300±10) g, were randomly divided with 10 rats per group into a normal control group, AD model group, AD with cut olfactory nerve group, Xiu three-needle group, eugenol group, and combined acupuncture and eugenol group. The AD model was established by injection of amyloid β1-40 (Aβ 1-40). Morris maze tests were conducted for evaluating the learning-memory ability. Content of malo- ndialdehyde (MDA) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the hippocampus were detected. RESULTS: The average escape latency and the mean swimming distance in the normal control group, the Xiu three-needle group, the eugenol group, and the combined acupuncture and euge-nol group were significantly shorter than those in the AD model group (all P<0.01). The combined acupuncture and eugenol group had shorter escape latency and mean swimming distance than those in the Xiu three-needle group and the eugenol group. There were no significant differences between the Xiu three-needle group and the eugenol group and between the AD group and the AD with cut olfactory nerve group (P>0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the MDA content in the hippocampus significantly increased (P<0.05) and GSH-Px and SOD activities significantly decreased in the AD model group (P<0.01). Compared with the AD model group, significantly decreased (P< 0.01) and SOD and GSH-Px activities significantly increased in the Xiu three-needle group, eugenol group, and combined acupuncture and eugenol group (P<0.05). Compared with the Xiu three-needle group and eugenol group, the MDA content significantly decreased (P<0.05) and SOD and GSH-Px activities increased (P<0.05) in the combined acupuncture and eugenol group. There were no significant differences among the three indices between the Xiu three-
Objective:To probe into the therapeutic efect of perfume stimulating olfaction with volatile oil of Acorus Gramineus on the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) rat. Methods: Totally 50 adult SD rats, male,weighing 300±10 g, were randomly divided into 5 groups, normal group (group A), olfactory nerve severing model group (group B), AD model group (group C), AD model plus perfume stimulation group (group D), AD model olfactory nerve severing plus perfume stimulation group (group E), 10 rats in each group. After perfume stimulation, Morris maze test was conducted for valuating the learning and memory ability; Malondaldehyde (MDA) content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in the brain, and the brain weight were detected. Results: Compared with the AD model group,the average escape latency and swimming distance in 6 days were significantly shorter than those in the group A, B, D (P<0.01), with no significant differences between the group C and the group E (P>0.05); Compared with the group A, B and D, MDA content in the group C significantly increased (P<0.01), and SOD and GSH-Px activities significantly decreased (P<0.01), and brain weight/body weight decreased significantly in the group C (P<0.01), with no significant differences between the group C and the group E (P>0.05). Conclusion: Perfume stimultating olfaction with volatile oil of Acorus Gramineus can significantly increase the learning-memory ability, decrease MDA content and increase SOD and GSH-Px activities and weight of brain in AD rats.
