An Optimized Combination of Ginger and Peony Root Effectively Inhibits Amyloid-β Accumulation and Amyloid-β-Mediated Pathology in AβPP/PS1 Double-Transgenic Mice

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lim, Soonmin^a | Choi, Jin Gyu^a | Moon, Minho^c | Kim, Hyo Geun^b | Lee, Wonil^a | Bak, Hyoung-rok^d | Sung, Hachang^d | Park, Chi Hye^d | Kim, Sun Yeou^e | Oh, Myung Sook^{a; b; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea | [b] Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy and Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea | [c] Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea | [d] CJ Healthcare R&D center, Majang-myeon, Icheon, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea | [e] Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Gachon University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Myung Sook Oh, KMD, PhD, Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy and Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 2 961 9436; Fax: +82 2 963 9436; E-mail: msohok@khu.ac.kr.

Abstract: The progressive aggregation of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) into senile plaques is a major pathological factor of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and is believed to result in memory impairment. We aimed to investigate the effect of an optimized combination of ginger and peony root (OCGP), a standardized herbal mixture of ginger and peony root, on Aβ accumulation and memory impairment in amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) double-transgenic mice. In an in vitro thioflavin T fluorescence assay, 100 μg/ml OCGP inhibited Aβ accumulation to the same extent as did 10 μM curcumin. Furthermore, AβPP/PS1 double-transgenic mice treated with OCGP (50 or 100 mg/kg/day given orally for 14 weeks) exhibited reduced Aβ plaque accumulation in the hippocampus and lower levels of glial fibrillary acid protein and cyclooxygease-2 expression compared with vehicle-treated controls. These results suggest that OCGP may prevent memory impairment in AD by inhibiting Aβ accumulation and inflammation in the brain.

Keywords: Aβ accumulation, AβPP/PS1 double-transgenic mice, neuroinflammation, optimized combination of ginger and peony root

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-150839

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 50, no. 1, pp. 189-200, 2016