Estrogenic and neuroprotective properties of scutellarin from Erigeron breviscapus: a drug against postmenopausal symptoms and Alzheimer's disease.
Besides the classical hormonal effect, estrogen possesses neuroprotective effects in the brain, which leads to the searching of novel treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Scutellarin is a major flavone derived from Herba Erigerontis, a Chinese medicine derived from Erigeron breviscapus, which has been shown here to possess both estrogenic and neuroprotective properties. Scutellarin showed the estrogenic effects by activating the estrogen responsive elements and phosphorylation of estrogen receptor alpha in cultured MCF-7 cells: the activation was in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, scutellarin inhibited the aggregation of beta-amyloid in vitro, and prevented the cell death mediated by beta-amyloid when applied to cultured neuronal PC12 cells. These results therefore suggested that Herba Erigerontis and its component scutellarin might have therapeutic effects against postmenopausal symptoms and Alzheimer's disease.
Zhu
Judy T T
JT
Department of Biology and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, P. R. China.
Choi
Roy C Y
RC
Li
Jun
J
Xie
Heidi Q H
HQ
Bi
Cathy W C
CW
Cheung
Anna W H
AW
Dong
Tina T X
TT
Jiang
Zhi Y
ZY
Chen
Ji J
JJ
Tsim
Karl W K
KW
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D047310:Apigenin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D049919:Erigeron / Q000737:chemistry*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010766:Phosphorylation; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D005965:Glucuronates; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D010936:Plant Extracts; C484876:scutellarin; D047310:Apigenin