Effect of Japanese herbal medicine, Sho-saiko-to-go-keishi-kashakuyaku-to (TJ-960) on aging

Japanese herbal medicine, Sho-saiko-to-go-keishi-kashakuyaku-to (TJ-960), scavenged hydroxyl radicals, superoxide and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals. It also diminished carbon centered radicals generated by oxygen stress in the rat cortex homogenate and quenched alpha-tocopheroxyl radicals in rat mitochondria and microsomes of vitamin E supplemented rats. The carbon centered radicals and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels decreased in the aged rat brain after 3-week oral administration of 5% TJ-960 solution. TJ-960 elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in cytosol fraction of hippocampus and hypothalamus of aged animals. It decreased norepinephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels in hypothalamus and increased 5-HT level in cerebellum. TJ-960 treatment increased choline acetyltransferase activity in aged rats. As herbal medicines do not generally have harmful side effects, TJ-960 appears as a suitable prophylactic agent against some neuronal symptoms of aging.