title: The volatile oil of Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma inhibits the oxidative stress-induced cell injury via reactive oxygen species scavenging and Akt activation in H9c2 cardiomyocyte.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma (NRR; the root and rhizome of Nardostachys jatamansi DC.) is a well-known medicinal herb widely used in Chinese, Uyghur and Ayurvedic medicines for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. The oxidative stress-induced cardiomyocyte loss is the major pathogenesis of heart disorders. Here, the total volatile oil of NRR was isolated, and its function in preventing the cell death of cardiomyocyte was demonstrated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cyto-protective effect of volatile oil of NRR against tBHP-induced H9c2 cardiomyocyte injury was measured by MTT assay. A promoter-report construct (pARE-Luc) containing four repeats of antioxidant response element (ARE) was applied to study the transcriptional activation of ARE. The amounts of phase ΙΙ antioxidant enzymes were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymer chain reaction (qPCR) upon the volatile oil treatment at 30 μg/mL for 24 h. The activation of Akt pathway was analyzed by western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In cultured H9c2 cardiomyocytes, application of NRR volatile oil exhibited strong potency in preventing tBHP-induced cell death and accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the application of NRR volatile oil in cultures stimulated the gene expressions of self-defense antioxidant enzymes, which was mediated by the transcriptional activation of antioxidant response element (ARE). The induced genes were glutathione S-transferase, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase, glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic and modulatory subunits. In addition, the volatile oil of NRR activated the phosphorylation of Akt in cultured H9c2 cells. The treatment of LY294002, an Akt inhibitor, significantly inhibited the volatile oil-mediated ARE transcriptional activity, as well as the cell protective effect of NRR oil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrated that NRR volatile oil prevented the oxidative stress-induced cell death in H9c2 cells by (i) reducing intracellular ROS production, (ii) inducing antioxidant enzymes and (iii) activating Akt phosphorylation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Maitinuer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maiwulanjiang
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Guizhong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Amy G W
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Abudureyimu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miernisha
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Crystal Y Q
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kei M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Pinky S C
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Jihang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Tina T X
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Natural Products Chemistry, Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China.
authors.forename: Haji A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Aisa
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay Road, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: botsim@ust.hk.
authors.forename: Karl W K
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Tsim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D032404:Nardostachys; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018517:Plant Roots; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D027343:Rhizome
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
keywords: Akt; Cardioprotection; H9c2 cells; Oxidative stress; Volatile oil