International Journal of Clinical Research

Objective To study the therapeutic effect of scalp acupuncture combined with Yizhi Reh decoction (Reh) on post-stroke dementia (VD) and its effect on phosphatidylinositol-3-hydroxykinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT/PKB) regulating oxidative stress injury and cell apoptosis. Methods Mice were divided into 4 groups: sham operation group, VD group, donepezil group, and scalp acupuncture Reh decoction group. The water maze test was used to evaluate the learning and memory ability of students. The activity of caspase-3, the content of MDA and the activity of SOD in hippocampal tissue were detected. HT22 cells were divided into 4 groups in vitro: sham operation group, VD group, donepezil group, and scalp acupuncture Reh decoction group. Flow cytometry was used to detect the content of intracellular ROS and cell apoptosis. Results Compared with the sham operation group, the learning and memory ability of mice in the VD group was significantly decreased. The expression of p-AKT protein and SOD enzyme activity in the hippocampus decreased, while the activity of Caspase-3 and the content of MDA increased significantly. The learning and memory ability of VD model mice in the head-point penetrating Rehmannia decoction group was significantly improved, the expression of p-AKT protein and SOD enzyme activity were upregulated, and the activity of Caspase-3 and the content of MDA decreased. Conclusion Head-point penetrating Rehmannia decoction can reduce oxidative stress and inhibit cell apoptosis to improve brain function by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Post-infarction dementia; Head-point penetrating Rehmannia decoction