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Abstract
Context
Icariin (ICA) is the main active ingredient of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim (Berberidaceae), which is used in the immune, reproductive, neuroendocrine systems, and anti-aging.
Objective
To evaluate the effect of ICA on natural aging rat.
Materials and methods
16-month-old Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into aging, low and high-dose ICA groups (n = 8); 6-month-old rats were taken as the adult control (n = 8). Rats were fed regular feed (aging and adult control) or feed containing ICA (ICA 2 and 6 mg/kg group) for 4 months. HE and Nissl staining were used to assess pathological changes. Western blot was used to test the expression of autophagy (LC3B, p62, Atg5, Beclin1) and p-AMPK, p-mTOR and p-ULK1 (ser 757). Immunofluorescence was used to detect the co-localization of LC3 and neurons.
Results
ICA improved neuronal degeneration associated with aging and increased the staining of Nissl bodies. Western blot showed that ICA up-regulated autophagy-related proteins LC3B (595%), Beclin1 (73.5%), p-AMPK (464%) protein (p < 0.05 vs. 20 M) in the cortex and hippocampus of aging rats, down-regulated the expression of p62 (56.9%), p-mTOR (53%) and p-ULK1 (ser 757) (65.4%) protein (p < 0.05 vs. 20 M). Immunofluorescence showed that the fluorescence intensity of LC3 decreased in the aging rat brain, but increased and mainly co-localized with neurons after ICA intervention.
Conclusions
Further research needs to verify the expression changes of AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 and the improvement effect of ICA in elderly. These results will further accelerate the applications of ICA and the treatment for senescence.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).