In order to investigate the effect of Tibetan medicine ratanasampil (RNSP) on the hippocampal mitochondrial fusion, fission and the ability of learning and memory in Alzheimer′s disease (AD), APP/PS1 mice were used as experimental subjects in. The spatial learning and memory ability of the APP/PS1 mice, the mitochondrial fusion and fission, the mitochondrial morphology and function of the mice were tested respectively by means of Morris water maze, RTPCR, transmission electron microscopy, ELISA and so on. The results showed that continuous administration of RNSP for 12 weeks could improve the spatial learning and memory ability of APP/PS1 mice, upregulate the expression of mitochondrial fusion genes mfn1, Mfn2 and Opa1 in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice, downregulate the expression of mitochondrial fission gene Drp1, improve the morphological structure of mitochondria, and upregulate the expression of ATP Synthetase C and ATP level in the hippocampus. It is suggested that the mechanism of RNSP improving the learning and memory abilities of APP/PS1 mice may be related to the improvement of mitochondrial fusion, fission and subsequent energy metabolism in hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice induced by RNSP.

Alzheimer′s disease; ratanasampil(RNSP); mitochondria; fusion and fission; energy metabolism; learning and memory