Studying the therapeutic effect of artemisinin along with endometrial stem cells containing TSP-1 gene on Alzheimer's disease in streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's-diabetes model of rat

Alzheimer's is the most common neurodegenerative disease of the elderly. Oxidative stress and inflammation play an important role in Alzheimer's disease. The risk of Alzheimer's disease is high in diabetic people, and insulin resistance occurs in the brain of Alzheimer's patients. Accumulation of amyloid plaques leads to angiogenesis and increased permeability of the vessels. Today, medicinal plants are receiving attention due to fewer side effects than chemical drugs. In the present study, the protective effect of Artemisia herbal product (artemisinin) along with endometrial stem cells containing the antiangiogenesis gene (thrombospondins-1 or TSP-1) was investigated in Alzheimer's disease induced by streptozotocin in a diabetic male rat laboratory model. 3 days after the induction of Alzheimer's and diabetes using streptozotocin, the animals received stem cells intranasally and then received artemisinin for one month (50 mg/kg). Initial and final weight, blood sugar, and interleukin-6 serum levels were measured, and brain amyloid plaques were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The results showed that the induction of Alzheimer's and diabetes led to a significant decrease in body weight and an increase in blood sugar, interleukin-6, and brain amyloid plaques. Treatment with artemisinin and stem cells, separately and simultaneously, improved these parameters. The findings of this research showed that human endometrial stem cells that contain the TSP-1 gene can be used as a potential source of stem cells along with natural antioxidants artemisinin to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.