Ameliorative effects of chronic treatment using DX-9386, a traditional Chinese prescription, on learning performance and lipid peroxide content in senescence accelerated mouse.

DX-9386 is a traditional Chinese prescription consisting of ginseng, polygala, acorus and hoelen. The effect of chronic oral treatment with this preparation on learning behaviors and lipid peroxide concentration was studied in senescence accelerated mouse (SAM). SAM P8, a senescence prone of SAM, and SAM R1, a senescence resistant substrain of SAM, were started on a diet containing 1% of DX-9386 from the age of 2 months. All the experiments were performed at the age of 10 months. The prescription ameliorated the memory disorders of SAM P8, as evaluated in a step down test as well as a spatial memory test. The preparation, however, did not affect the learning behaviors in SAM R1. DX-9386 reduced the elevated levels of lipid peroxide in the serum and liver of SAM P8, while it did not alter that in SAM R1. These results suggested that DX-9386 slowed the aging process of SAM P8 in terms of learning behaviors and lipid peroxidation.