title: Cyperi Rhizoma inhibits the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced reduction in nigrostriatal dopaminergenic neurons in estrogen-deprived mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cyperi Rhizoma has commonly been used for the treatment of gynecological and neuropsychiatric disorders in traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the estrogenic properties and neuroprotective effects of Cyperi Rhizoma under estrogen-deprived condition in female mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the estrogen-like effect of Cyperi Rhizoma extract (CRE), we measured luciferase expression after transfection of a promoter construct containing an estrogen response element (ERE) and treatment of CRE. To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of CRE, we measured striatal dopamine, movement ability, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity, and apoptosis-related protein expression levels after treatment of CRE either with or without 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in ovariectomized female mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CRE significantly induced the luciferase expression driven by an ERE in PC12 cells, a dopaminergic cell line, in a dose-dependent manner. In mice, MPTP significantly decreased the levels of dopamine in the striatum and behavior performance; in contrast, both CRE and 17β-estradiol benzoate (EB) recovered these parameters to normal levels. CRE and EB treatment also recovered TH immunopositive fibers and cells, respectively, from MPTP toxicity. Additionally, MPTP significantly down-regulated Bcl-2 expression in the mitochondria of dopaminergic cells in the SN, followed by an increase in Bax expression, cytochrome C translocation to the cytosol, and cleaved-caspase-3 expression, whereas these were inhibited by CRE or EB treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide the first evidence that CRE has estrogen-like and neuroprotective effects on dopaminergic neurons in estrogen-deprived mice treated with MPTP-toxin.
authors: Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, #1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyo Geun
authors: HG
authors: Kim
authors: Jongki
authors: J
authors: Hong
authors: Youngbuhm
authors: Y
authors: Huh
authors: Chan
authors: C
authors: Park
authors: Deok-Sang
authors: DS
authors: Hwang
authors: Jung-Hye
authors: JH
authors: Choi
authors: Myung Sook
authors: MS
authors: Oh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D029786:Cyperus; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D027343:Rhizome; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D004967:Estrogens; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D053148:Caspase 3; D004298:Dopamine