title: Paeonol attenuates inflammation-mediated neurotoxicity and microglial activation.
abstract: Chronic activation of microglial cells endangers neuronal survival through the release of various proinflammatory and neurotoxic factors. The root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall has been considered useful for the treatment of various disorders in traditional oriental medicine. Paeonol, found in the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, has a wide range of pharmacological functions, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of paeonol in the repression of inflammation-induced neurotoxicity and microglial cell activation. Organotypic hippocampal slice cultures and primary microglial cells from rat brain were stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Paeonol pretreatment was performed for 30 minutes prior to lipopolysaccharide addition. Cell viability and nitrite (the production of nitric oxide), tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta products were measured after lipopolysaccharide treatment. In organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, paeonol blocked lipopolysaccharide-related hippocampal cell death and inhibited the release of nitrite and interleukin-1beta. Paeonol was effective in inhibiting nitric oxide release from primary microglial cells. It also reduced the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1β from microglial cells. Paeonol possesses neuroprotective activity in a model of inflammation-induced neurotoxicity and reduces the release of neurotoxic and proinflammatory factors in activated microglial cells.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 446-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyong Nyon
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular & Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center), Hospital of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Cheol
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular & Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center), Hospital of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular & Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center), Hospital of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Uk
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular & Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center), Hospital of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joo-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular & Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center), Hospital of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Woong
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular & Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center), Hospital of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Sup
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular & Neurologic Diseases (Stroke Center), Hospital of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Nam
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 446-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eunjoo Hwang
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Paeonia lactiflora Pall; brain inflammation; interleukin-1beta; microglia; neural regeneration; neuroprotection; neuroregeneration; neurotoxicity; nitric oxide; organotypic hippocampal slice culture; paeonol; traditional Chinese medicine; tumor necrosis factor-alpha