Gastrodia elata Shows Neuroprotective Effects via Activation of PI3K Signaling against Oxidative Glutamate Toxicity in HT22 Cells.

Gastrodia elata Shows Neuroprotective Effects via Activation of PI3K Signaling against Oxidative Glutamate Toxicity in HT22 Cells. Am J Chin Med. 2014;42(4):1007-19 Authors: Han YJ, Je JH, Kim SH, Ahn SM, Kim HN, Kim YR, Choi YW, Shin HK, Choi BT Abstract Dried roots of Gastrodia elata have traditionally been used in Korean medicine for the treatment of neurological disorders such as scotodinia, paralysis, and epilepsy. In our study, we attempted to investigate the neuroprotective effects of methanol extract from G. elata (MEGE) against glutamate-mediated oxidative stress and to explore underlying neuroprotective mechanisms. Analyses for cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), flow cytometry, Western blot, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were performed in HT22 hippocampal cells. Pretreatment with MEGE resulted in a potent neuroprotective effect against oxidative glutamate toxicity and these effects were exerted mainly by the abrogation of glutamate-induced apoptotic death. Treatment with glutamate resulted in a significant expression of both phosphorylated p38 and dephosphorylated phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K). However, pretreatment with MEGE resulted in the inhibition of these expressions. In the inhibitor studies, treatment with PI3K inhibitor LY294002 resulted in the abrogation of the neuroprotective effect of MEGE. In addition, pretreatment with MEGE also resulted in the suppression of the glutamate-induced producti...
Source: The American Journal of Chinese Medicine - Category: Complementary Medicine Authors: Tags: Am J Chin Med Source Type: research