Protective effects of gastrodin on hypoxia-induced toxicity in primary cultures of rat cortical neurons.

Abstract

The phenolic glucoside gastrodin is the main component extracted from the rhizome of Gastrodia elata (Orchidaceae), a Chinese herbal medicine, which has long been used for treating dizziness, epilepsy, stroke and dementia. The present study aims to investigate the effect of gastrodin on hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity in cultured rat cortical neurons. Neuron survival and extracellular glutamate level were measured after an insult by hypoxia. Glutamate concentrations were determined by an HPLC-ECD system. The results demonstrated that neurons were significantly damaged by hypoxia for 24 h. When pretreated with gastrodin (100, 200 microg/mL) in hypoxia, neuron survival was significantly increased compared with no gastrodin treatment. Moreover, the enhancement of extracellular glutamate level stimulated by hypoxia was inhibited by pretreatment with gastrodin (100 microg/mL). Further studies demonstrated that gastrodin prevented glutamate- and NMDA-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, gastrodin also inhibited the extracellular glutamate level induced by NMDA insult. These findings suggest that gastrodin has a neuroprotective action against hypoxia in the cultured cortical neuron, and the mechanism may involve a decreasing of the extracellular glutamate level.

• Authors: Xiang Xu, Yanying Lu, Xiaodong Bie
• Journal: Planta medica (Planta Med) Vol. 73 Issue 7 Pg. 650-4 (Jun 2007) ISSN: 0032-0943 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 17583824 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Benzyl Alcohols
• Glucosides
• Neuroprotective Agents
• Plant Extracts
• Glutamic Acid
• gastrodin

Topics

• Animals
• Benzyl Alcohols (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Brain Ischemia (chemically induced, prevention & control)
• Cell Hypoxia (drug effects)
• Cerebral Cortex (cytology, drug effects, metabolism)
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
• Gastrodia
• Glucosides (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Glutamic Acid (metabolism)
• Neuroprotective Agents (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Rhizome