title: Protective effects of gastrodin on hypoxia-induced toxicity in primary cultures of rat cortical neurons.
abstract: The phenolic glucoside gastrodin is the main component extracted from the rhizome of Gastrodia elata (Orchidaceae), a Chinese herbal medicine, which has long been used for treating dizziness, epilepsy, stroke and dementia. The present study aims to investigate the effect of gastrodin on hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity in cultured rat cortical neurons. Neuron survival and extracellular glutamate level were measured after an insult by hypoxia. Glutamate concentrations were determined by an HPLC-ECD system. The results demonstrated that neurons were significantly damaged by hypoxia for 24 h. When pretreated with gastrodin (100, 200 microg/mL) in hypoxia, neuron survival was significantly increased compared with no gastrodin treatment. Moreover, the enhancement of extracellular glutamate level stimulated by hypoxia was inhibited by pretreatment with gastrodin (100 microg/mL). Further studies demonstrated that gastrodin prevented glutamate- and NMDA-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, gastrodin also inhibited the extracellular glutamate level induced by NMDA insult. These findings suggest that gastrodin has a neuroprotective action against hypoxia in the cultured cortical neuron, and the mechanism may involve a decreasing of the extracellular glutamate level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yanying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D031668:Gastrodia; D005960:Glucosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D027343:Rhizome
chemical_list: D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D005960:Glucosides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C045345:gastrodin