Salidroside prevents cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats.

Objective: To investigate the effects of salidroside on cognitive dysfunction induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 36) were divided into three groups (n = 12 per group): sham operation; bilateral permanent occlusion of the common carotid arteries (2-VO); 2-VO + salidroside. Rats received 20 mg/kg per day salidroside or vehicle intraperitoneal injection beginning the day before surgery and continuing until 34 days postoperatively. Cognitive function was evaluated by Morris water maze test and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) measurement. Hippocampal neuronal apoptosis was evaluated via immunofluorescence.

Results: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion caused marked cognitive deficit and LTP inhibition. These effects were largely ameliorated by salidroside administration. Salidroside prevented caspase-3 activation, increased the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, and reversed hippocampal neuronal loss induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

Conclusions: Salidroside prevents cognitive deficits caused by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats, and alleviates apoptosis in the hippocampal CA1 area.