Effects of tetrandrine on learning and memory dysfunction and neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia

Objective To observe the effects of tetrandrine on learning and memory dysfunction and neuronal apoptosis in the CA1 zone of hippocampus in rats with vascular dementia (VaD). Methods VaD rats were performed by permanent bilateral common carotid artery ligation (2-VO) for 8 weeks. Rats were then treated with Tet (10 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg) intraperitoneally thrice weekly for 28 days. Morris water maze test was adopted to test ability of learning and memory in all rats 12 weeks after surgery. H&E staining ,Nissl staining and TdT mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) were used to detect the pathological changes and neuronal apoptosis. Results Escape latency was significant1y shortened and the times of entries in the target zone was significantly increased in rats administrated with Tet when compared with those in model group(P<;0.05). At the same time, rats had improved pathological changes such as nuclear shrink or disappearance, cellular edema and the loss of Nissl bodies in pyramidal neuron, and numbers of the TUNEL positive cells was significantly decreased in the CA1 zone of hippocampus in Tet-treated rats(P<;0.05). Conclusion Tet could improved the learning and memory ability and reduced the quantity of the TUNEL positive cells in the CA1 zone of hippocampus in rats with VaD.