[Effect of radix Rehmanniae preparata on the expression of c-fos and NGF in hippocampi and learning and memory in rats with damaged thalamic arcuate nucleus].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Radix Rehmanniae Preparata (RRP) on improving the function of learning and memory.

METHOD: With injured thalamic arcuate nucleus rats induced by MSG, the improving function of RRP on learning and memory was observed by step down task and Morris water maze task, and the expression of c-fos and NGF in hippocampi was observed by immunohistochemical means.

RESULT: RRP could decrease the times of mistakes and prolong the incubation period in step down task, shorten the incubation period of seeking the platform, and improve the rate through the platform position in Morris water maze task. RRP could also increase the expression of hippocampal NGF, c-fos.

CONCLUSION: RRP could improve the function of learning and memory of MSG rats, and its mechanism may by related with the increase of the expression of hippocampal c-fos and NGF.