Neuroprotective effects of Bak Foong Pill in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahyrdropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease model mice.
Neuroprotective effects of estrogen and estrogen-like chemicals on neurodegenerative diseases, especially Parkinson's disease, have been well established. In the present study, we compared the effects of Bak Foong Pill (BFP), a well-known gynaecological tonic in China, and 17beta-estradiol, on dopamine transporter (DAT) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene expression patterns in ovariectomized, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahyrdropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) model mice, using multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). MPTP, a specific dopaminergic neurotoxin, significantly decreased DAT and TH mRNA levels in the striatum, midbrain and cerebellum, but not the cortex, of C57BL/6 mice. However, MPTP-challenge with BFP pretreatment demonstrated reduced neurotoxicity, with DAT and TH mRNA levels either not affected by MPTP or affected to a significantly lesser extent in the midbrain and striatum as compared to the MPTP treated controls. 17beta-estradiol treatment prevented MPTP-induced reduction of DAT expression in striatum and midbrain, but failed to alter TH expression. These results suggest that BFP is able to protect dopaminergic neurons against MPTP-induced neuronal damage in a mechanism that is different from the protective effect of estrogen.
Epithelial Cell Biology Research Center, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, P.R. China.
Bin
B
Liu
Jun Xia
JX
Xie
Dewi Kenneth
DK
Rowlands
Yu Lin
YL
Gou
Ching Cheong
CC
Leung
Yiu Wa
YW
Chung
Hsiao Chang
HC
Chan
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
C508116:Bak Foong Pills; D017931:DNA Primers; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine