Correlation Between Regulation of Intestinal Flora by Danggui-Shaoyao-San and Improvement of Cognitive Impairment in Mice With Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Purpose

The abnormal central glucose metabolism in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is related to the brain–gut axis. This study aims to explore the target of Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS) in improving cognitive impairment.

Method

This study analyzed the differences in mice intestinal flora by 16S rRNA sequencing. The cognitive protective effects of DSS were observed through the Morris water maze and the new object recognition. The mitigation effects of DSS on Aβ and p-tau, regulatory effects on glucose metabolism targets, and intestinal structure effects were observed through brain and colon slices staining. The differences in neural ultrastructure were compared by transmission electron microscopy.

Finding

The results showed that DSS affected the composition of intestinal dominant bacteria and bacteria genera and regulated the abundance of intestinal bacteria in AD mice. DSS improved the behavior of AD mice, alleviated the deposition of AD pathological products in the brain and colon, regulated the expression of glycometabolism-related proteins, and improved the colon barrier structure and neural ultrastructure in the brain of mice with AD.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that DSS may affect AD central glucose metabolism and improve cognition by regulating the gut–brain axis.