Coptis chinensis Franch. exhibits neuroprotective properties against oxidative stress in human neuroblastoma cells.

Thomas Friedemann, Benjamin Otto, Kristin Klätschke, Udo Schumacher, Yi Tao, Alexander Kai-Man Leung, Thomas Efferth, Sven Schröder

Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2015;155(1):607-15

PMID: 24929105

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The dried rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch. (family Ranunculaceae) is traditionally used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and diabetes. Recent studies showed a variety of activities of Coptis chinensis Franch. alkaloids, including neuroprotective, neuroregenerative, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there is no report on the neuroprotective effect of Coptis chinensis Franch. watery extract against tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BOOH) induced oxidative damage. The aim of the study is to investigate neuroprotective properties of Coptis chinensis Franch. rhizome watery extract (CRE) and to evaluate its potential mechanism of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Neuroprotective properties on t-BOOH induced oxidative stress were investigated in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Cells were pretreated with CRE for 2 h or 24 h followed by 2 h of treatment with t-BOOH. To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of CRE, cell viability, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the apoptotic rate were determined and microarray analyses, as well as qRT-PCR analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Two hours of exposure to 100 µM t-BOOH resulted in a significant reduction of cell viability, increased apoptotic rate, declined mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and increased ROS production. Reduction of cell viability, increased apoptotic rate and declined mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) could be significantly reduced in cells pretreated with CRE (100 µg/ml) for 2h or 24h ahead of t-BOOH exposure with the greatest effect after 24h of pretreatment; however ROS production was not changed significantly. Furthermore, microarray analyses revealed that the expressions of 2 genes; thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) and mitochondrially encoded NADH dehydrogenase 1, were significantly regulated. Down regulation of TXNIP was confirmed by qRT-PCR.

CONCLUSION

Due to its neuroprotective properties CRE might be a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention or amelioration of diseases like diabetic neuropathy and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer and Parkinsons disease.

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Address: HanseMerkur Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine at the University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].; Array Service Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].; Array Service Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].; Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Electronic address: [email protected].; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128 Mainz, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].; HanseMerkur Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine at the University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].

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