Protective effects of peony glycosides against corticosterone-induced cell death in PC12 cells through antioxidant action.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that total glycosides of peony (TGP) produced antidepressant-like action in various mouse models of behavioral despair. However, the molecular mechanism by which TGP exerts antidepressant-like effect is not fully understood. This study examined the protective effects of TGP against corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and ts possible mechanisms.


METHODS
The direct antioxidant effect of TGP was investigated by using a 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation-scavenging assay in a cell-free system. PC12 cells were treated with 200 μM of corticosterone in the absence or presence of TGP in varying concentrations for 48 h. Cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, glutathione (GSH) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and catalase (CAT) activity were then determined.


RESULTS
TGP displayed antioxidant properties in the cell-free system, and the IC50 value in the ABTS radical cation-scavenging assay was 9.9 mg/L. TGP treatment at increasing doses (1-10 mg/L) protected against corticosterone-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The cytoprotection afforded by TGP treatment was associated with decreases in the intracellular ROS and MDA levels, and increases in the GSH level, SOD activity, and CAT activity in corticosterone-treated PC12 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that TGP has a neuroprotective effect on corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells, which may be related to its antioxidant action.
School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
Qing-Qiu
QQ
Mao
Yan-Fang
YF
Xian
Siu-Po
SP
Ip
Sam-Hip
SH
Tsai
Chun-Tao
CT
Che
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006027:Glycosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells; D029596:Paeonia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D006027:Glycosides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione; D003345:Corticosterone