title: Silibinin: a novel inhibitor of Aβ aggregation.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the abnormal aggregation of amyloid β peptide (Aβ) into extracellular fibrillar deposits known as amyloid plaque. Inhibition of Aβ aggregation is therefore viewed as a potential method to halt or slow the progression of AD. It is reported that silibinin (silybin), a flavonoid derived from the herb milk thistle (Silybum marianum), attenuates cognitive deficits induced by Aβ25-35 peptide and methamphetamine. However, it remains unclear whether silibinin interacts with Aβ peptide directly and decreases Aβ peptide-induced neurotoxicity. In the present study, we identified, through employing a ThT assay and electron microscopic imaging that silibinin also appears to act as a novel inhibitor of Aβ aggregation and this effect showed dose-dependency. We also show that silibinin prevented SH-SY5Y cells from injuries caused by Aβ(1-42)-induced oxidative stress by decreasing H(2)O(2) production in Aβ(1-42)-stressed neurons. Taken together, these results indicate that silibinin may be a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of AD.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing, 400067, PR China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Jianhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiuhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Yanwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zidichouski
authors.forename: Junzeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077385:Silybin; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012838:Silymarin; D000077385:Silybin