title: Protective properties of tanshinone I against oxidative DNA damage and cytotoxicity.
abstract: Tanshinone I, a naturally occurring diterpene from Danshen, has been shown to possess hepatocyte protective, anticancer, and memory enhancing properties. However, there are few stringent pharmacological tests for neuroprotection of tanshinone I thus far. Since peroxynitrite is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, this study was undertaken to investigate whether the neuroprotective effect of tanshinone I is associated with inhibition of peroxynitrite-caused DNA damage, a critical event leading to peroxynitrite-induced cytotoxicity. Our results show that tanshinone I can significantly inhibit peroxynitrite-induced DNA damage both in φX-174 plasmid DNA and rat primary astrocytes. EPR spectroscopy indicates that tanshinone I potently diminished the DMPO-hydroxyl radical adduct signal from peroxynitrite. Taken together, these results demonstrate for the first time that tanshinone I can protect against peroxynitrite-induced DNA damage, hydroxyl radical formation and cytotoxicity, which might have implications for tanshinone I-mediated neuroprotection.
authors.affiliation: College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Shimiao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hongming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; C021751:tanshinone; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical
keywords: Cytotoxicity; Free radical; Oxidative DNA damage; Tanshinone I