Neuroprotective Effects of Euonymus alatus Extract on Scopolamine-Induced Memory Deficits in Mice

Euonymus alatus is considered to elicit various beneficial effects against cancer, hyperglycemia, menstrual discomfort, diabetic complications, and detoxification. The young leaves of this plant are exploited as food and also utilized for traditional medicine in East Asian countries, including Korea and China. Our preliminary study demonstrated that ethanolic extract from the Euonymus alatus leaf (EAE) exhibited the strongest antioxidant enzyme-inducing activity among more than 100 kinds of edible tree leaf extracts. This study investigated whether EAE could attenuate the cognitive deficits caused by oxidative stress in mice. Oral intubation of EAE at 100 mg/kg bw or higher resulted in significant improvements to the memory and behavioral impairment induced via i.p. injection of scopolamine. Furthermore, EAE enhanced the expression levels of hippocampal neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor in mice, activated the Nrf2, and the downstream heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) a quintessential antioxidant enzyme. As rutin (quercetin-3-O-rutinose) was abundantly present in EAE and free quercetin was able to induce defensive antioxidant enzymes in an Nrf2-dependent manner, our findings suggested that quercetin derived from rutin via the intestinal microflora played a significant role in the protection of the mouse hippocampus from scopolamine-induced damage through BDNF-mediated Nrf2 activation, thereby dampening cognitive decline.

Download Full-text

Meroterpenoid-Rich Fraction of the Ethanolic Extract from Sargassum serratifolium Suppressed Oxidative Stress Induced by Tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide in HepG2 Cells

Marine Drugs ◽

10.3390/md16100374 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (10) ◽

pp. 374 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sujin Lim ◽

Misung Kwon ◽

Eun-Ji Joung ◽

Taisun Shin ◽

Chul-Woong Oh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Hepg2 Cells ◽

Ethanolic Extract ◽

Glutathione Depletion ◽

Heme Oxygenase 1 ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Butyl Hydroperoxide ◽

Tert Butyl ◽

Tert Butyl Hydroperoxide ◽

Sargassum Serratifolium

Sargassum species have been reported to be a source of phytochemicals, with a wide range of biological activities. In this study, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effect of a meroterpenoid-rich fraction of the ethanolic extract from Sargassum serratifolium (MES) against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-treated HepG2 cells. Treatment with MES recovered the cell viability from the t-BHP-induced oxidative damage in a dose-dependent manner. It suppressed the reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione depletion in the t-BHP-treated HepG2 cells. The activity of the antioxidants induced by t-BHP, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, was reduced by the MES treatment. Moreover, it increased the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, leading to the enhanced activity of glutathione S transferase, and the increased production of heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H:quinine oxidoreductase 1 in t-BHP-treated HepG2 cells. These results demonstrate that the antioxidant activity of MES substituted the activity of the SOD and catalase, and induced the production of detoxifying enzymes, indicating that MES might be used as a hepatoprotectant against t-BHP-induced oxidative stress.

Download Full-text

Mulberry Fruit Prevents Diabetes and Diabetic Dementia by Regulation of Blood Glucose through Upregulation of Antioxidative Activities and CREB/BDNF Pathway in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Mice

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2020/1298691 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

A Young Min ◽

Jae-Myung Yoo ◽

Dai-Eun Sok ◽

Mee Ree Kim

Keyword(s):

Ethanolic Extract ◽

Ethyl Acetate Fraction ◽

Diabetic Mice ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Memory Impairments ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Body Weight Reduction ◽

Mulberry Fruit ◽

Pathway Activation ◽

Bdnf Pathway

Although mulberry fruit has various beneficial effects, its effect on diabetes-related dementia remains unknown. We investigated whether the ethyl acetate fraction of ethanolic extract of mulberry fruit (MFE) could alleviate biochemical and behavioral deficits in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. In the diabetic mice, MFE considerably abolished multiple deficits, e.g., body weight reduction; water and food intake increase; and hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypoinsulinism, and hypertrophy of the liver, kidneys, spleen, and brain. A 200 mg/kg MFE dose reduced malondialdehyde levels and improved antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver, kidney, and brain tissues. MFE attenuated hyperglycemia-induced memory impairments and acetylcholine deprivation, protected neuronal cells in CA1 and CA3 regions via p-CREB/BDNF pathway activation, and reduced amyloid-β precursor protein and p-Tau expressions in the brain tissue. In conclusion, MFE exerts antidiabetic and neuroprotective effects by upregulating antioxidative activities and p-CREB/BDNF pathway in chronic diabetes. Therefore, MFE may be used as a therapeutic agent for diabetes and diabetic neurodegenerative diseases.

Download Full-text

EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIMICROBIAL, AND HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECTS OF THE LEAVES OF EMBELIA RIBES

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research ◽

10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i1.31922 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Haseena Banu H ◽

Prateeba Ms ◽

Preethi Loganathan ◽

Suganthi Subramaniam

Keyword(s):

Methanolic Extract ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Ethanolic Extract ◽

Antibacterial Activities ◽

Positive Control ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Leaf Extracts ◽

Embelia Ribes ◽

Antibiotic Drugs

Objective: The purpose of this work is to evaluate the antimicrobial, antibacterial, and hypoglycemic effects of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of Embelia ribes leaves using in vitro studies.Methods: Antibacterial activities of the methanolic and ethanolic extract of E. ribes leaves against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococci, and Klebsiella pneumoniae at different concentrations ranging from 10, 25, 50, and 75 μg/mL and their antibacterial activities were compared to those of the reference controls such as ciprofloxacin and clindamycin. Furthermore, the effect of leaf extracts on α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes was assayed.Results: The methanolic and ethanolic extract of E. ribes leaves effectively inhibited the activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of the methanolic extract was more prominent than that of ethanolic extract. At the same time, both the extracts showed markable inhibition of bacterial growth at a concentration of 75 μg/mL compared to the other three doses (10, 25, and 50 μg/ml) and also commercially available antibiotic drugs ciprofloxacin and clindamycin that were used as positive control drugs. The antibacterial activity of methanolic extract is significantly higher than that of ethanolic extract.Conclusion: The preliminary results of this study have put forward E. ribes into promising herb with respect to its therapeutic potential although further studies are needed to evaluate its mechanism of action.

Download Full-text

Antineuroinflammatory and Neuroprotective Effects of Gyejibokryeong-Hwan in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated BV2 Microglia

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2019/7585896 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Bo-Kyung Park ◽

Young Hwa Kim ◽

Yu Ri Kim ◽

Jeong June Choi ◽

Changsop Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitric Oxide ◽

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽

Heme Oxygenase 1 ◽

Related Factor ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Nuclear Factor ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Bv2 Cells ◽

Bv2 Microglia ◽

Anti Inflammatory

Microglia, the central nervous system’s innate immune cells, mediate neuroinflammation and are implicated in a variety of neuropathologies. The present study investigated the antineuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects of Gyejibokryeong-hwan (GBH), a traditional Korean medicine, in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated murine BV2 microglia. BV2 cells were pretreated with GBH, fluoxetine (FXT), or amitriptyline (AMT) for 1 h and then stimulated with LPS (100 ng/mL). The expression levels of nitric oxide (NO), cytokines, and chemokines were determined by the Griess method, ELISA, or real-time PCR. Western blotting was used to measure various transcription factors and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt activity. GBH significantly reduced the levels of NO, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase- (COX-) 2, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, interleukin- (IL-) 1β, IL-6, macrophage inhibitory protein- (MIP-) 1α, macrophage chemoattractant protein- (MCP-) 1, and IFN-γ inducible protein- (IP-) 10, regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed sequence (RANTES) in a dose-dependent manner. Expression of nuclear factor- (NF-) κB p65 was significantly decreased and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), and PI3K/Akt by GBH, but not p38 MAPK, was decreased. Furthermore, production of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was increased and Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was upregulated via the nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2)/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) pathway, collectively indicating the neuroprotective effects of GBH. We concluded that GBH may suppress neuroinflammatory responses by inhibiting NF-κB activation and upregulating the neuroprotective factor, HO-1. These results suggest that GBH has potential as anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents against microglia-mediated neuroinflammatory disorders.

Download Full-text

Taurine Protects against Postischemic Brain Injury via the Antioxidant Activity of Taurine Chloramine

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10030372 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 372

Author(s):

Song-I Seol ◽

Hyun Jae Kim ◽

Eun Bi Choi ◽

In Soon Kang ◽

Hye-Kyung Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antioxidant Enzymes ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Antioxidant Enzyme ◽

Infarct Volume ◽

Neuroprotective Effect ◽

Neurological Deficits ◽

Heme Oxygenase 1 ◽

Taurine Chloramine ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Bv2 Cells

Taurine is ubiquitously distributed in mammalian tissues and is highly concentrated in the heart, brain, and leukocytes. Taurine exerts neuroprotective effects in various central nervous system diseases and can suppress infarct formation in stroke. Taurine reacts with myeloperoxidase (MPO)-derived hypochlorous acid (HOCl) to produce taurine chloramine (Tau-Cl). We investigated the neuroprotective effects of taurine using a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model and BV2 microglial cells. Although intranasal administration of taurine (0.5 mg/kg) had no protective effects, the same dose of Tau-Cl significantly reduced infarct volume and ameliorated neurological deficits and promoted motor function, indicating a robust neuroprotective effect of Tau-Cl. There was neutrophil infiltration in the post-MCAO brains, and the MPO produced by infiltrating neutrophils might be involved in the taurine to Tau-Cl conversion. Tau-Cl significantly increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes glutamate–cysteine ligase, heme oxygenase-1, NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase 1, and peroxiredoxin-1 in BV2 cells, whereas taurine slightly increased some of them. Antioxidant enzyme levels were increased in the post-MCAO brains, and Tau-Cl further increased the level of MCAO-induced antioxidant enzymes. These results suggest that the neutrophils infiltrate the area of ischemic injury area, where taurine is converted to Tau-Cl, thus protecting from brain injury by scavenging toxic HOCl and increasing antioxidant enzyme expression.

Download Full-text

EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIMICROBIAL, AND HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECTS OF THE LEAVES OF EMBELIA RIBES

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research ◽

10.22159/ajpcr.2018.v11i9.27613 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 411

Author(s):

Haseena Banu H ◽

Prateeba Ms ◽

Preethi Loganathan ◽

Suganthi Subramaniam

Keyword(s):

Methanolic Extract ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Ethanolic Extract ◽

Antibacterial Activities ◽

Positive Control ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Leaf Extracts ◽

Embelia Ribes ◽

Antibiotic Drugs

Download Full-text

Antityrosinase activity ofEuphorbia characiasextracts

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.1305 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. e1305 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Francesca Pintus ◽

Delia Spanò ◽

Angela Corona ◽

Rosaria Medda

Keyword(s):

Competitive Inhibition ◽

Ethanolic Extract ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Cellular Systems ◽

Tyrosinase Activity ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Mushroom Tyrosinase ◽

Leaf Extracts ◽

Melanin Biosynthesis ◽

Ethanolic Extracts

Tyrosinase is a well-known key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis and its inhibitors have become increasingly important because of their potential use as hypopigmenting agents. In the present study, the anti-melanogenic effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts fromEuphorbia characiasleaves, stems, and flowers in cell-free and cellular systems was examined. All the extracts showed inhibitory effects against mushroom tyrosinase with leaf extracts exhibiting the lowest IC50values of 24 and 97 µg/mL for aqueous and ethanolic extracts respectively. Enzyme kinetic analysis indicated that leaf aqueous extract acts as a mixed type inhibitor, while ethanolic extract shows a competitive inhibition effect on mushroom tyrosinase using L-DOPA as substrate. In addition, the inhibitory effect of leaf extracts on tyrosinase activity and melanin production was examined in murine melanoma B16F10 cells. Cellular tyrosinase activity as well as levels of melanin synthesis are reduced in a dose-dependent manner by extracts in cells treated withα-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH). The effects are comparable, and sometimes even better, than that of kojic acid, a well known tyrosinase inhibitor used for reference. All these results suggest thatE. characiascould be a great source of the natural inhibitors from tyrosinase and has the potential to be used as a whitening agent in therapeutic fields.

Download Full-text

Differential Neuritogenic Activities of Two Edible Brown Macroalgae, Undaria pinnatifida and Saccharina japonica

The American Journal of Chinese Medicine ◽

10.1142/s0192415x14500864 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 42 (06) ◽

pp. 1371-1384 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Md. Abdul Hannan ◽

Md. Mohibbullah ◽

Seon-Yeong Hwang ◽

Kyungyong Lee ◽

Yang-Chun Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hippocampal Neurons ◽

Undaria Pinnatifida ◽

Saccharina Japonica ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Brown Macroalgae ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Ethanol Extracts ◽

Dose Dependent

Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar and Saccharina japonica Areschoug are two common seaweeds, and both are known to have numerous pharmacological properties that include neuroprotective effects. In a previous study, we found that the ethanol extracts of U. pinnatifida (UPE) and S. japonica (SJE) had neurite promoting activities on developing hippocampal neurons. In the present study, we studied and compared the effects of UPE and SJE on neuronal maturation. Both UPE and SJE promoted neurite outgrowth in a dose-dependent manner with optimal concentrations of 5 and 15 μg/mL, respectively. Initial neuronal differentiation was significantly promoted by UPE and SJE. Subsequently, treatment with both increased indices of axonal and dendritic cytoarchitecture, such as, the numbers and lengths of primary processes, although only UPE had a significant effect on branching frequencies. In addition, UPE and SJE showed no evidence of cytotoxicity, rather they protected neurons from naturally occurring death in vitro. These results indicate that UPE and SJE promote axodendritic maturation and neuronal survival and suggest that these algal extracts, especially UPE, have beneficial effects on the nervous system.

Download Full-text

Effects of Gastrodin on Analgesia and Inhibition of Ferroptosis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-618848/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

JinYue Wang ◽

Zhixian He ◽

Xin Liu ◽

Xing Wang

Keyword(s):

Inflammatory Pain ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Central Area ◽

Thermal Hyperalgesia ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Gas Treatment ◽

Chronic Inflammatory Pain ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Thermal Pain

Abstract Background: Gastrodin possesses low toxicity and a broad range of pharmacological activities and exhibits beneficial effects in neurological diseases. This study investigated the effects of gastrodin (GAS) on analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and inhibition of ferroptosis. Materials and Methods: The chronic inflammatory pain model of C57BL/6J mice was established by hindpaw injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). After GAS treatment, Thermal hyperalgesia test, Mechanical allodynia test, Elevated plus-maze (EPMT) and Open-field test (OFT) were performed to assess the behavioral changes of pain and anxiety. mRNAs of FTHI, GPX4, HO-1 and PTGS2 were measured by RT-qPCR. Results: In CFA-injected C57BL/6 mice, we found that the mechanical and thermal pain threshold was increased with treatment of GAS. In EPMT, the number of entries in open arms and retention times of open arms were increased by GAS. In the OFT, the time spent in the central area was also increased. Furthermore, GAS enhanced mRNA expressions of FTHI, GPX4 and H0-1, as well as decreased the expression of PTGS2 in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: GAS is effective in the treatment of mice chronic inflammatory pain and anxiety-like behaviors. It maybe exhibit potential neuroprotective effects through inhibition of ferroptosis.

Download Full-text

Citrus Auraptene Induces Expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Neuro2a Cells

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25051117 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (5) ◽

pp. 1117 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yoshiko Furukawa ◽

Yu-suke Washimi ◽

Ryu-ichi Hara ◽

Mizuki Yamaoka ◽

Satoshi Okuyama ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Neuronal Cells ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

C6 Glioma Cells ◽

Published Data ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Bdnf Expression ◽

Bdnf Mrna ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Neuro2a Cells

(1) Background: Our published data have indicated that (1) auraptene (AUR), a citrus ingredient, has neuroprotective effects on the mouse brain, owing to its ability to suppress inflammation, such as causing a reduction in hyperactivation of microglia and astrocytes; (2) AUR has the ability to trigger phosphorylation (activation) of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in neuronal cells; (3) AUR has the ability to induce glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) synthesis/secretion in rat C6 glioma cells. The well-established fact that the ERK-CREB pathway plays an important role in the production of neurotrophic factors, including GDNF and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), prompted us to investigate whether AUR would also have the ability to induce BDNF expression in neuronal cells. (2) Methods: Mouse neuroblastoma neuro2a cells were cultured and the effects of AUR on BDNF mRNA expression and protein content were evaluated by RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. (3) Results: The levels of BDNF mRNA and secreted BDNF were significantly increased by AUR in a dose- and time-dependent manner in neuro2a cells. (4) Conclusion: The induction of BDNF in neuronal cells might be, in part, one of the mechanisms accounting for the neuroprotective effects of AUR.

Download Full-text