Effects of combined acupuncture and eugenol on learning-memory ability and antioxidation system of hippocampus in Alzheimer disease rats via olfactory system stimulation

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of combined acupuncture and eugenol on learning-memory ability and the antioxidation system of the hippocampus in Alzheimer disease (AD) rats. METHODS: Sixty Sprague Dawley rats, weighing (300 10) g, were randomly divided with 10 rats per group into a normal control group, AD model group, AD with cut olfactory nerve group, Xiu three-needle group, eugenol group, and combined acupuncture and eugenol group. The AD model was established by injection of amyloid beta 1-40 (A beta 1-40). Morris maze tests were conducted for evaluating the learning-memory ability. Content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the hippocampus were detected. RESULTS: The average escape latency and the mean swimming distance in the normal control group, the Xiu three-needle group, the eugenol group, and the combined acupuncture and eugenol group were significantly shorter than those in the AD model group (all P<0.01). The combined acupuncture and eugenol group had shorter escape latency and mean swimming distance than those in the Xiu three-needle group and the eugenol group. There were no significant differences between the Xiu three-needle group and the eugenol group and between the AD group and the AD with cut olfactory nerve group (P>0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the MDA content in the hippocampus significantly increased (P<0.05) and GSH-Px and SOD activities significantly decreased in the AD model group (P<0.01). Compared with the AD model group, significantly decreased (P<0.01) and SOD and GSH-Px activities significantly increased in the Xiu three-needle group, eugenol group, and combined acupuncture and eugenol group (P<0.05). Compared with the Xiu three-needle group and eugenol group, the MDA content significantly decreased (P<0.05) and SOD and GSH-Px activities increased (P<0.05) in the combined acupuncture and eugenol group. There were no significant differences among the three indices between the Xiu three-needle group and the eugenol group and between the AD model group and the AD with cut olfactory nerve group (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Both Xiu three-needle and eugenol can increase learning-memory ability, decrease MDA content, and increase SOD and GSH-Px activities in the hippocampus in AD rats. The combination of acupuncture with eugenol has stronger effects, and the effects depend on the olfactory path. way. (C) 2013 JTCM. All rights reserved.