title: Neuroprotective properties of melissa officinalis L. Extract against ecstasy-induced neurotoxicity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Melissa officinalis, a major antioxidant plant, against neuron toxicity in hippocampal primary culture induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy, one of the most abused drugs, which causes neurotoxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  3-(4,5-dimethyl-2 thiazoyl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to assess mitochondrial activity, reflecting cell survival. Caspase-3 activity assay and Hoechst / propiedium iodide (PI) staining were done to show apoptotic cell death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high dose of ecstasy caused profound mitochondrial dysfunction, around 40% less than the control value, and increased apoptotic neuronal death to around 35% more than the control value in hippocampal neuronal culture. Co-treatment with Melissa officinalis significantly reversed these damages to around 15% and 20% respectively of the MDMA alone group, and provided protection against MDMA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in neurons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melissa officinalis has revealed neuroprotective effects against apoptosis induced by MDMA in the primary neurons of hippocampal culture, which could be due to its free radical scavenging properties and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory effects.
authors.affiliation: 1. Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hassanzadeh
authors.forename: Parichehr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pasbakhsh
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akbari
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shokri
authors.forename: Mohammadhosein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghahremani
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kashani
authors.forename: Abolfazl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azami Tameh
keywords: Ecstasy; MDMA; Melissa Officinalis; Neurotoxicity