The Study of the Neuroprotective Effect of the Extract from <i>Chelidonium Majus</i> L. <i>in Vitro</i>

Abstract

The protection of neurons from damage and death is an important challenge in the development of treatment of brain ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to investigate protective effect of the extract prepared from Chelidonium majus, which contains total alkaloids. In the present study, we examined antioxidant activity of total alkaloids from Chelidonium majus in vitro. Hydroxyl radical and lipid radicals were detected using spin trapping agents with ESR spectrometer. Chelidonium majus extract exhibited dose-dependent scavenging effects on lipid radicals. Halfmaximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the extract was 2.96 mg/ml, whereas for hydroxyl radicals it was 55.13 mg/ ml. These results showed that extract of Chelidonium majus is partly inhibited free radicals. Antioxidant effects of this extract were further demonstrated by protecting enzyme activity of the mitochondrial respiratory electron transport chain (complex I) in isolated brain mitochondrial dysfunction induced by MDA. However, it did not change the decreased level of complex II, and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) in a concentration of 12 and 25 mg/ml. Here, we examined the neuroprotective effect of the extract from Chelidonium majus against oxidative stress in cultured cortical neurons, using MTT. We found that pretreatment with the extract of Chelidonium majus (0.05 and 0.5 mg/ml) significantly inhibited H2O2-induced cell death in cortical neurons.Furthermore, the use of a luciferase reporter (ARE-luc) assay showed that extract from Chelidonium majus activates protective signaling pathway in primary cortical neurons through ARE/Nrf2 pathway.Together, this suggests that total alkaloids from Chelidonium majus may be neuroprotective by increasing anti-oxidant gene expression.

Keywords

• chelidonium majus l
• neuroprotection effects
• antioxidant responsive elements