Gastrodin, the predominant constituent of a Chinese herbal medicine, has been utilized in the prevention of
Parkinson's disease (PD); however, its mechanism of action remains unknown. Astrocytes are involved in PD and are proposed to be coupled with gap junction
connexin 43 (
Cx43). To evaluate the effects of
gastrodin on PD, the effect of
gastrodin on
Cx43 in astrocytes and in a PD model were observed. Different doses of
gastrodin were added to the astrocyte culture medium or injected into the
rotenone model of PD. The relative expression of
Cx43 was determined by qPCR and western blot analysis, while gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) was quantified using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). The phosphorylated
Cx43 was significantly inhibited by
gastrodin and the quantity of GJIC was significantly downregulated compared with that of the control cells (P<0.05). In addition, in the rat model of PD induced by
rotenone, phosphorylated
Cx43 was selectively enhanced in the striatal and hippocampal regions. The enhanced activity was inhibited significantly by
gastrodin treatment (P<0.01).
Gastrodin results in the prevention of PD by reducing the expression of
Cx43 and inhibiting the phosphorylation of
Cx43; therefore, it may offer a potential therapeutic alternative for patients with PD.