Combined Herbal Medicine (<italic>Achyranthes bidentata</italic>, <italic>Gastrodia elata</italic>, and <italic>Chaenomeles sinensis</italic>) Increases Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidative Effects in a Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of motor neurons, finally leading to death by respiratory failure. However, no effective drug is available for treating patients with ALS owing to the complex pathological mechanisms. Herbal medicines are globally known for the effects of their multiple bioactive components and lack of adverse effects. This study investigated the effects of a combined herbal medicine formulation containing Achyranthes bidentata Blume, Gastrodia elata Blume, and Chaenomeles sinensis Koehne extracts on motor function and to analyze the underlying biological mechanisms in the gastrocnemius and tibia anterior muscles and spinal cord of hSOD1G93A mice.

METHODS: Rotarod and footprint analyses were performed to examine motor function. The biological mechanisms were examined using Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses of the muscles and spinal cord in hSOD1G93A mice.

RESULTS: Herbal medicine treatment improved motor function in hSOD1G93A mice by reducing the expression of inflammation-related proteins (glial fibrillary acidic protein and CD11b) and oxidative stress-related proteins (heme oxygenase 1 and ferritin) in the gastrocnemius and tibia anterior muscles and spinal cord. It also regulated autophagy in the muscles and spinal cord of hSOD1G93A mice.

CONCLUSION: Collectively, these findings suggest that the herbal medicine formulation reported herein may facilitate management of diseases with complex pathological mechanisms, such as ALS, or those with unclear pathological mechanisms.