Effect of Donepezil Hydrochloride on Cognitive Function Recovery of Rats with Alzheimer’s Disease

Objective: To explore the effect of donepezil hydrochloride on cognitive function recovery of rat with Alzheimer’s disease and the positive expression of nitric oxide synthase and acetylcholinesterase (NOS and AchE) in the brain tissues of rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD).Methods: Forty SD (Sprague Dawley) rats were randomly classified into a model group, a treatment group, a control group, and a sham operation group. Each group had 10 rats. AD rat models were prepared with Aβ1-40. Donepezil hydrochloride was orally administered to rats in the treatment group two weeks after modeling. Rat recognition function was assessed. The positive expression of NOS and AchE in rat brain tissues was observed via immunohistochemistry after administration of 28 days.Results: Rat escape latency was significantly longer after modeling (p < 0.010). Compared to the model group, treatment group escape latency was significantly shortened and the difference was significant (p < 0.05). NOS and AchE positive expression mainly reflects in hippocampus region tissue. Compared with the control, and sham, operation groups, NOS positive expression decreased and AchE positive expression increased in the model group. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Compared with the model group, NOS expression in the treatment group increased and AchE expression decreased. The difference was significant (p < 0.01).Conclusion: Donepezil hydrochloride can promote AD rat cognitive function recovery. Its effects are also associated with increased NOS protein expression in hippocampus neuron cells in addition to specifically inhibiting the AchE activities.