The antiapoptotic and antioxidative stress effects of Zhisanzhen in the Alzheimer's disease model rat.

Zhisanzhen, a type of acupuncture method, has been commonly used in the treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders in clinics in China. The aim of this study was to confirm the effect of Zhisanzhen on Alzheimer's disease and the associated mechanism. We used D-galactose and Aβ1-40 injections to establish a rat model of AD. Rats were divided into four groups: normal group, AD group, AD+manual acupuncture (control) group, and AD+manual acupuncture (Zhisanzhen) group. Zhisanzhen was used to treat the AD model rats. We found that Zhisanzhen improved behavioral performance, reduced oxidative stress, increased the neurotransmitter acetylcholine concentration, reduced apoptosis in hippocampal neurons, and down-regulated the expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins. Compared with those in the AD group, these parameters were clearly different in the Zhisanzhen control group (P<0.05). These results suggest that Zhisanzhen can markedly enhance learning and memory and reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in AD model rats, which may be related to the role of Zhisanzhen in increasing chAT and Ache activity, decreasing oxidative stress and inhibiting neuronal apoptosis.Video abstract: http://links.lww.com/WNR/A517.