Effects of butylphthalide on cognitive decline in diabetic rats

Butylphthalide, a component extracted from seeds of Chinese celery, is an effective neuroprotective agent used for the treatment of ischemic stroke and dementia. Diabetes may cause central nervous system damage, and diabetes is closely associated with dementia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of butylphthalide on cognitive impairment in a streptozotocin‑induced diabetic rat model, and the underlying mechanisms of action. A total of 30 healthy male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following 2 groups: Normal control (NC; n=10) and diabetes model (DM) groups (n=20). Diabetes was induced in rats in the DM group by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, and these rats were further subdivided into the following 2 groups: Diabetic control (n=10) and butylphthalide‑treated groups (n=10). Following 8 consecutive weeks of treatment, a Morris water maze test was performed and the levels of blood fasting plasma glucose (FPG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), interleukin (IL)‑1β, and IL‑6 inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus were measured. FPG levels were significantly decreased in the butylphthalide‑treated group when compared with the DM group. In addition, cognitive deficits in diabetic rats were improved following butylphthalide treatment. Furthermore, butylphthalide significantly increased the level of SOD, reduced MDA levels, and reduced TNF‑α, IL‑1β, and IL‑6 levels in the hippocampus when compared with the DM group. The results of the present study suggest that butylphthalide may be an effective neuroprotective agent to improve cognitive dysfunction during diabetes.