Effects of Rhodiola rosea L. extract on Alzheimer's disease

Rhodiola rosea has been used in China for many years as an anti-depressant and anti-fatigue health food. Recent studies have shown that Rhodiola rosea extract (RCE) has cognitive protective effects on Alzheimer's disease (AD). Associate Professor Han Fei from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University recently published an article entitled "Neuroprotective effects of a Rhodiola crenulata extract on amyloid-β peptides (Aβ1-42) -induced cognitive deficits in rat models of Alzheimer's disease" in Phytomedicine magazine. The protective role of cognitive deficits and elucidation of its therapeutic mechanism in Aβ1-42-induced AD rat models. The test used lyophilization to prepare RCE. The learning and memory ability of Aβ1-42 induced AD rat model was tested by Y maze and Morris water maze (MWM) test. Subsequently, the mechanism of action was elucidated by biochemical analysis, HE staining, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry . The results showed that RCE can significantly increase the spontaneous transformation behavior of AD rats, prolong swimming time and reduce latency. In addition, RCE significantly increased acetylcholine (Ach) levels and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity, repaired hippocampal neuronal damage and prevented the formation of Aβ in the hippocampus after Aβ1-42 injection in rats. Moreover, RCE increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the cortex of AD rat model, decreased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the cortex, and significantly reduced the expression and induction of p-tau (ser396) in the hippocampus. Expression of -GSK3β (ser9). In summary, RCE can significantly attenuate the learning and memory deficits induced by Aβ1-42 in AD rats, and its mechanism of action includes protection against cholinergic system defects, oxidative stress damage and GSK3β activation, suggesting that RCE may be A multi-target potential therapeutic drug that prevents progression of AD cognitive function progression.