[Effect of naoling decoction on the behavior and the mRNA expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein in the hippocampus in rats with Alzheimer's disease].

Objective: To observe the effect of naoling decoction (NLD) on the behavior and the mRNA expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the hippocampus in rat model with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: D-galactose was intra-abdominally injected and AlCl3was hypodermically injected to build the AD models. The behavior of rats was measured by gamma-electric maze and the level of APP mRNA in the model rat hippocampus was observed by RT-PCR.

Results: The learning and memory capacity in the NLD group was improved and the APP mRNA expression level was significantly lower in the NLD group compared with the untreated model and the control group (All P < 0.05).

Conclusion: NLD can lower the expression of APP mRNA to reduce beta-amyloid protein deposition of rat hippocampus, which may be one of the mechanisms of improving the learning and memory capacity of AD model rats.