Mechanism of fermentation products of Puerariae lobatae Radix in delaying organ function decline in aging mice

ObjectiveThis study aims to decipher the mechanism of the anti-aging effect of puerarin.MethodsA mouse model of D-galactose-induced subacute aging was established. The antioxidant capacity was assessed by measuring oxidative stress indicators in the serum, liver, and spleen. The spatial learning and memory ability of mice was assessed by the Morris water maze test. Pathological changes in the hippocampus of mice were observed by Nissl staining. The oxidative stress indicators of the brain tissue were measured to comprehensively investigate the effect of the fermentation products of Puerariae lobatae Radix (FP) on brain aging. Micro-CT scanning was performed to study the effect of FP on femoral motor ability in aging mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the histological changes of the testis and thymus in mice.ResultsCompared with the model group, the FP intervention reduced the MDA content (P<0.001) and increased the GSH content (P<0.001) and SOD activity (P<0.05) in the serum. Meanwhile, it reduced the MDA content (P<0.05), increased the GSH content (P<0.01), and had no significant effect on the SOD activity in the liver. It reduced the MDA content (P<0.05), increased the SOD activity (P<0.001), and had no significant effect on the GSH content in the spleen. The results indicated that FP delayed the antioxidant function decline in the liver and spleen of aging mice by improving the antioxidant capacity of the serum. The FP group showed a decrease of 62.18% in the total distance traveled at the end of training (P<0.000 1) and an increase in the number of platform traversals (P<0.000 1). Furthermore, FP reduced the MDA content (P<0.001) and increased the GSH content and SOD activity (P<0.05) in the brain tissue, ameliorated the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons, and increased the femur volume fraction, thus delaying the femur aging of mice. In addition, the histological structure abnormalities of the testis and thymus of the mice were ameliorated in the FP group.ConclusionFP can delay the brain tissue structure and function decline, motor coordination decline of the femur, antioxidant function decline of the liver and spleen, and degenerative changes in the thymus and testis in aging mice.