title: The anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties of puerarin attenuate 3-nitropropionic-acid induced neurotoxicity in rats.
abstract: Puerarin (Pur), an isoflavonoid extracted from the dried roots of Pueraria lobata, has been reported to be useful in the treatment of various diseases. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory activities of Pur against 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) induced neurotoxicity. For 5 consecutive days, male Wistar rats were given Pur (200 mg/kg body mass) 30 min before treatment with 20 mg/kg body mass of 3-NP. The striata, hippocampi, and cortices of the 3-NP treated group showed apoptotic damage, inflammation, and energy deficit as well as histopathological lesions. The 3-NP-induced alteration in apoptotic biomarkers (caspase-3 activity/level, cytosolic cytochrome c, Bax/Bcl-2 levels) were significantly ameliorated by Pur treatment. Moreover, Pur pretreatment blocked 3-NP-induced inflammatory biomarkers (NF-κB, TNF-α, and iNOS) and prevented the energy deficit (ATP reduction). Nissl staining further confirmed Pur's neuroprotective effect. These results indicate that Pur may be a useful preventive approach to various neurodegenerative diseases with underlying apoptosis and neuroinflammation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Monazamet Al-Wehdah Al-Efrikeya Street, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Heba M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mahdy
authors.forename: Mohamed R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Manal A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Emam
authors.forename: Amr M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.forename: Ashraf B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Abdel-Naim
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdel-Naim
authors.forename: Amani E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Khalifa
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007529:Isoflavones; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid; C033607:puerarin