title: Crocin prevents the death of rat pheochromyctoma (PC-12) cells by its antioxidant effects stronger than those of alpha-tocopherol.
abstract: Crocin is a pharmacologically active component of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) used in traditional Chinese medicine. We report here the effects of crocin on neuronally differentiated pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells deprived of serum/glucose. Depriving the PC-12 cells of serum/glucose caused peroxidation of their cell membrane lipids and decreased intercellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Treating the PC-12 cells with 10 microM crocin inhibited the formation of peroxidized lipids, partly restored the SOD activity, and maintained the neuron's morphology. These antioxidant effects of crocin were more effective than those of alpha-tocopherol at the same concentration. Crocin also suppressed the activation of caspase-8 caused by serum/glucose deprivation. These results together with our previous data suggest that crocin is a unique and potent antioxidant that combats oxidative stress in neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, 8-19-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-180, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Shigekazu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soeda
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimeno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002338:Carotenoids; C029036:crocin; D020169:Caspases; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol