title: Neuroprotective activity of triterpenoid saponins from Platycodi radix against glutamate-induced toxicity in primary cultured rat cortical cells.
abstract: During our investigation of the neuroprotective activity of Platycodi radix we found that an aqueous extract of this folk medicine exhibited significant protection against glutamate-induced toxicity in primary cultured rat cortical cells. In order to clarify the neuroprotective mechanism(s) of this observed effect, activity-guided isolation was performed to seek and identify active fractions and components. By such fractionation, four known triterpene saponin compounds--platycodins A, C and D and deapioplatycodin D--were isolated from the n-butanol fraction. Among these four compounds, platycodin A exhibited significant neuroprotective activities against glutamate-induced toxicity, exhibiting cell viability of about 50%, at concentrations ranging from 0.1 microM to 10 microM. Therefore, the neuroprotective effect of Platycodi radix might be due to the inhibition of glutamate-induced toxicity by the saponin compounds it contains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience Sanbon Medical Center, Wonkwang University, Gunpo-city, Kyunggido, 435-040, South Korea.
authors.forename: Il Hong
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Yong Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung Ik
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyun Duk
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hyung-In
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029422:Campanulaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes