Icariin decreases both APP and Aβ levels and increases neurogenesis in the brain of Tg2576 mice

So maybe TCM will finally prove itself.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306452215005412

• F. Li^a,
• H.X. Dong^{a, b},
• Q.H. Gong^a,
• Q. Wu^a,
• F. Jin^a,
• J.S. Shi^{a, ,}

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doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.06.010

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Highlights

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Icariin improved the spatial working memory of Tg2576 mice.

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Icariin reduced the level of insoluble Aβ_1-40 and Aβ_1-42 and the protein expression of APP in Tg2576 mice cortex.

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Icariin increased the adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus of Tg2576 mice.

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Abstract

Icariin is a major component derived from the traditional Chinese herb Epimedium brevicornum Maxim. Our previous studies have shown that icariin protects neurons from the neurotoxicity and ischemia-conditions. In this study, we investigated the effect of icariin on the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the level of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), as well as neurogenesis in the brain of Tg2576 mice, an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Tg2576 mice and wild type littermates (WT) were randomly assigned to three groups: Tg2576, Tg2576+icariin and WT groups. At 9 months old, all mice were treated with icariin (60 mg/kg/d) or distilled water for 3 months. The results showed that administration with icariin for 3 months improved the spatial working memory of Tg2576 mice as examined in Y-maze task. Furthermore, icariin treatment reduced the level of insoluble Aβ_1-40 (69%) and Aβ_1-42 (50%) in the cortex and hippocampus as determined by ELISA. Western blot analysis indicated the down-regulation of the APP expression, and double staining showed the elevation of BrdU/NeuN double-positive cells in the dentate gyrus region of hippocampus compared with Tg2576 mice. The current study demonstrated that icariin improved memory function, decreased the levels of Aβ and APP in the brain and increased the neurogenesis in the hippocampus of Tg2576 mice. Taken together, these results suggest that icariin could be a potential drug candidate for AD treatment.