# The Protective Effect of Radix Polygoni Multiflori on Diabetic Encephalopathy via Regulating Myosin Light Chain Kinase Expression

## TL;DR

Radix Polygoni Multiflori improves cognitive function in diabetic rats by regulating a specific brain protein linked to neuron health.

## Contribution

This study demonstrates a novel neuroprotective mechanism of Radix Polygoni Multiflori in diabetic encephalopathy via MLCK regulation.

## Key findings

- Radix Polygoni Multiflori treatment improved cognitive dysfunction in diabetic rats.
- The treatment recovered hippocampal neuron ultrastructure and increased synapse numbers.
- The neuroprotection was partly due to downregulation of MLCK via ERK signaling.

## Abstract

Currently there has been no effective treatment of diabetic encephalopathy. Radix Polygoni Multiflori, a famous traditional Chinese medicine, is widely used in antiaging treatment, especially in prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's diseases. In this study we tried to explore the effect of Radix Polygoni Multiflori on cognitive function among diabetic rats with demonstrated cognitive impairment. SD rats were divided into group A (control group), group B (diabetes), group C (treated with Radix Polygoni Multiflori at the dose of 2 g/kg/d), and group D (treated with same drug at the dose of 1 g/kg/d). The results showed that 8 weeks of Radix Polygoni Multiflori treatment could improve the cognitive dysfunction of diabetic rats (P < 0.01), recover the ultrastructure of hippocampal neurons, and increase the number of synapses in a dose-dependent manner. Further experiment also suggested that the neuroprotective effect of Radix Polygoni Multiflori was partly achieved by downregulating MLCK expression in hippocampus via ERK signaling.