title: Protective effects of kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal preparation on substantia nigra neurons in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: The Chinese herbs Herba Epimedii, Fructus Ligustri Lucidi and Rhizoma Polygonati were injected into Parkinson's disease mice established via intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride. The selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor selegiline was used as a positive control drug. After successive administration for 4 weeks, Herba Epimedii could downregulate the expression of caspase-3 and increase the brain-derived neurotrophic factor level, as well as increase tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease mouse models. Rhizoma Polygonati could downregulate the expression of caspase-3 and FasL, and increase neural growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Fructus Ligustri Lucidi could downregulate caspase-3 expression. Rhizoma Polygonati and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi did not produce obvious effects on tyrosine hydroxylase activity. Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi yielded similar effects on apoptosis-promoting factors to those elicited by selegiline. Herba Epimedii and Rhizoma Polygonati significantly increased the levels of neurotrophic factors compared with selegiline. Herba Epimedii significantly increased tyrosine hydroxylase activity compared with selegiline. It is indicated that the kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal preparation can downregulate the expression of apoptosis-promoting factors, increase neurotrophic factors levels in the substantia nigra and striatum, as well as increase tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease mouse models, thereby exerting a stronger or similar neuroprotective effects compared with selegiline.
authors.affiliation: Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Ruhui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Xuzheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhizhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Jindong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
keywords: Fructus Ligustri Lucidi; Herba Epimedii; Parkinson's disease; Rhizoma Polygonati; kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal preparation; neural regeneration; substantia nigra and striatum; substantia nigra neuron