title: Neuroprotective Effects of Jitai Tablet, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, on the MPTP-Induced Acute Model of Parkinson's Disease: Involvement of the Dopamine System.
abstract: Jitai tablet (JTT) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders. We previously demonstrated that JTT treatment led to increased level of dopamine transporter (DAT) in the striatum, thus indicating that JTT might have therapeutic potential for Parkinson's disease (PD), which is characterized by dysregulated dopamine (DA) transmission and decreased striatal DAT expression. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of JTT on MPTP-induced PD mice. Using locomotor activity test and rotarod test, we evaluated the effects of JTT (0.50, 0.15, or 0.05 g/kg) on MPTP-induced behavioral impairments. Tyrosine hydroxylase TH-positive neurons in the substantia nigra and DAT and dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) levels in the striatum were detected by immunohistochemical staining and/or autoradiography. Levels of DA and its metabolites were determined by HPLC. In MPTP-treated mice, behavioral impairments were alleviated by JTT treatment. Moreover, JTT protected against impairment of TH-positive neurons and attenuated the MPTP-induced decreases in DAT and D2R. Finally, high dose of JTT (0.50 g/kg) inhibited the MPTP-induced increase in DA metabolism rate. Taken together, results from our present study provide evidence that JTT offers neuroprotective effects against the neurotoxicity of MPTP and thus might be a potential treatment for PD.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Jinlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Shaoang
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9765-0952
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Shasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Weihu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Chenxin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Yale PET Center, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
authors.forename: Yiyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China ; Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Han