An Optimized Combination of Ginger and Peony Root Effectively Inhibits Amyloid-beta Accumulation and Amyloid-beta-Mediated Pathology in A beta PP/PS1 Double-Transgenic Mice

Abstract

The progressive aggregation of amyloid-beta protein (A beta) into senile plaques is a major pathological factor of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is believed to result in memory impairment. We aimed to investigate the effect of an optimized combination of ginger and peony root (OCGP), a standardized herbal mixture of ginger and peony root, on A beta accumulation and memory impairment in amyloid-beta protein precursor (A beta PP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) double-transgenic mice. In an in vitro thioflavin T fluorescence assay, 100 mu g/ml OCGP inhibited A beta accumulation to the same extent as did 10 mu M curcumin. Furthermore, A beta PP/PS1 double-transgenic mice treated with OCGP (50 or 100 mg/kg/day given orally for 14 weeks) exhibited reduced A beta plaque accumulation in the hippocampus and lower levels of glial fibrillary acid protein and cyclooxygease-2 expression compared with vehicle-treated controls. These results suggest that OCGP may prevent memory impairment in AD by inhibiting A beta accumulation and inflammation in the brain.