Effects of various traditional Chinese medicinal prescriptions on learning and memory disorders in model mice with vascular dementia

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effects of various traditional Chinese medicinal prescriptions on learning and memory disorders in model mice with vascular dementia caused by repeated cerebral ischemia. Methods: The model of mice with vascular dementia was made by occluding bilateral carotid artery repeatedly three times for ten minutes per time. All the mice were tested by Step down test and the effects of various prescriptions on them were observed. Results: We compared JianNao YiZahi Decoction with DiTan Decoction, and JinGuiShengQi Pill with TaoHongSiWu Decoction, respectively, all of which were found to improve learning and memory ability of model mice with vascular dementia significantly (P<0.05). There were no differences in the effects between JianNaoYiZhi Decoction and DiTan Decoction (P>0.05). There were no differences in the effects between JinGuiShengQi Pill and TaoHongSiWu Decoction (P>0.05). Conclusion: The possible pathologic factor of vascular dementia in the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine was the internal stagnation of phlegm. That provides us with a proof that we should treat vascular dementia mainly with resuscitation by reducing phlegm.