[Effect of Panax notoginseng saponins on syp and tau gene expression in brain of senescence accelerated mouse].

Objective: To study the effect of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on (synaptophysin, syp) and tau gene expression in the brain tissue in senescence accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP 8).

Method: SAMP8 were randomly divided into 4 groups: PNS 23.38, 93.50 mg x kg(-1) group, huperzin A 0.038 6 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) group and blank control group; the drug groups were treated with the designed drugs respectively per day by intragastric administration for 4 consecutive weeks, and double distilled water was given to blank control group. After treatment, the mRNA content of tau and syp were assayed by reverse transcription (RT) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR).

Result: Compared with blank control group, the syp mRNA contents were increased in PNS groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the tau mRNA content were not significant difference in all groups.

Conclusion: This study suggests that PNS can up-regulate syp gene expression at transcriptional level in the brain of SAMP 8.