OBJECTIVE
To observe the protective effect of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) against pathological lesion of cholinergic neuron in rat model with Alzheimer' s disease (AD).
METHODS
The AD rat model was established by intra-peritoneal injection of D-galactose combined with excitatory neurotoxin ibotenic acid (IBA) injection into bilateral nbM. The activity and content of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the cell morphology and number of cholinergic neuron in brain were determined by immunohistochemistry analysis.
RESULTS
PNS could reduce the pathological lesion of cholinergic neuron, including the level of ChAT and number of cholinergic neuron, as compared with those of model group's rats.
CONCLUSION
PNS plays a protective role in pathological lesion of cholinergic neuron in AD rat model.