[Effects of butylphthalide on H2S/CBS pathway in hippocampal and amygdala and learning and memory ability in chronic alcoholism rats].

Objective

To investigate the effects of butylphthalide (NBP) on learning and memory related ability, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) content in hippocampus and amygdala, cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) expression and mitochondrial ATPase activity in rats with chronic alcoholism.

Methods

Ninety SD male rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (NC), model group (M) and butylphthalide remedy group (BR). Except for the control group, the water solution containing 6% (v/v) alcohol was used as the sole source of drinking water in the other two groups. After 14 days of feeding, the butylphthalide remedy group was injected with NBP intraperitoneally at the dose of 5 mg/kg once a day for 14 consecutive days, and the remaining two groups were injected with the same dose of normal saline. The control group subsequently used the Morris water maze method to observe and record the animals after entering the water. The time required for the underwater platform, their strategies and their swimming trajectories could analyze and infer the animal's ability to learn and remember. H2S concentration, CBS expression and mitochondrial ATPase activity in hippocampus and amygdale were dectected.

Results

Compared with NC group, the latency period and swimming distance of M group were increased, the content of H2S and the mean optical density of CBS in hippocampus and amygdala were increased, and the activity of mitochondrial ATPase in hippocampus and amygdala was decreased significantly (P＜0. 01) . Compared with the M group, the latency period and swimming distance of learning and memory performance of BR group were decreased, the content of H2S and the mean optical density of CBS in hippocampus and amygdala were decreased, and the activity of mitochondrial ATPase in hippocampus and amygdala was increased significantly (P＜0. 01) .

Conclusion

NBP can alleviate the effect of ethanol on learning and memory in rats, which may be related to the effect of NBP on the concentration of H2S and the expression of CBS in the amygdala of hippocampus and the increase of ATPase activity.