title: Aristolactam BII of Saururus chinensis attenuates glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in rat cortical cultures probably by inhibiting nitric oxide production.
abstract: Saurolactam and aristolactam BII, aristolactam-type alkaloids isolated from the aerial part of Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Ball (Saururaceae), showed significant neuroprotective activity against glutamate-induced toxicity in primary cultured rat cortical cells. The action mechanism of aristolactam BII, the more potent neuroprotective compound, was investigated using primary cultures of rat cortical cells as an in vitro system. Aristolactam BII attenuated glutamate-induced neurotoxicity significantly when it was added immediately or up to 9 h after the excitotoxic glutamate challenge. The alkaloid could not protect cultured neuronal cells from neurotoxicity induced by kainic acid or N-methyl- D-aspartate in a pre-treatment paradigm. However, aristolactam BII successfully reduced the overproduction of nitric oxide and the level of cellular peroxide in cultured neurons when it was treated as a post-treatment paradigm. These results may suggest that aristolactam BII exerts its significant neuroprotective effects on glutamate-injured primary cultures of rat cortical cells by directly inhibiting the production of nitric oxide.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: So Ra
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Kyung Ah
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Seung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Choong Je
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Heum-Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mi Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young Choong
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007769:Lactams / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D032134:Saururaceae
chemical_list: D007769:Lactams; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C487927:aristolactam BII; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D018698:Glutamic Acid