[Protective effects of Cistanche total glycosides on dopaminergic neuron in substantia nigra of model mice of Parkinson's disease].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the protective effects of cistanche total glycosides (CTG) on dopaminergic neuron in substantia nigra (SN) of model mice of Parkinson's disease (PD).


METHODS
Experimental mice were randomly divided into 5 groups, the normal control group, the model group, the high (400 mg/kg), moderate (200 mg/kg) and low (100 mg/kg) dose CTG groups. Mouse model of chronic PD was induced by peritoneal injection of MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-ttrahydropyridine) 30 mg/kg for 5 successive days. Climbing test was used to estimate the neurobehavior of mice on the 7th and 14th day (D7 and D14) after initiating MPTP injection; meantime, quantitative immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect the number of dopaminergic neuron in SN and expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in striatum.


RESULTS
The average time of climbing in the high dose CTG group on D7 and D14 was significantly shorter than that in the model group (P < 0.01). The mean optic density (OD) of TH in striatum was higher in the three CTG groups than that in the model group on D7 (P < 0.01); but on D14, significance only showed in the high and moderate dose CTG groups (P < 0.01). Moreover, the MPTP induced decrease of TH positive neuron could be antagonized by CTG, but significant difference only showed between the high dose CTG group and the model group at the two time points of observation (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
CTG could improve the neurobehavior of PD model mice significantly, and inhibit the decrease of nigral dopaminergic neurons and TH expression in striatum.
Li
Wen-Wei
WW
Laboratory for Neurology, Institute of Integrative Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai.
Yang
Ru
R
Cai
Ding-Fang
DF
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D031671:Cistanche / Q000737:chemistry*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D006027:Glycosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010302:Parkinson Disease, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006027:Glycosides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine