Ameliorating Effects of Aloe Emodin in an Aluminum‐Induced Alzheimer’s Disease Rat Model

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and threatens the health of the aged population worldwide. In the present study, we investigated cognitive improvement by aloe emodin in aluminum‐induced AD rats. We orally administered aluminum chloride (150 mg/kg) to Sprague–Dawley rats for 8 weeks to induce AD. In the 5th to the 8th week, the rats were injected intraperitoneally with AE (5, 10, and 15 mg/kg). Behavioral, histopathological, and biochemical assessments were performed. The results showed that AE alleviated cognitive impairment in aluminum‐induced AD rats and inhibited aluminum‐induced hippocampal neuronal damage. Furthermore, aloe emodin relieved the aluminum burden in the brain of aluminum‐induced AD rats, attenuated the aluminum‐induced increase in Aβ42 level and acetylcholinesterase activity, and reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐6, interleukin‐1α, and interleukin‐1β. These effects suggest that the mechanism by which AE alleviates AD‐related cognitive impairment is by removal of excess aluminum, decreasing Aβ42 deposition, regulating the cholinergic system, and reducing neuroinflammation.