santolinifolia protect PC12 cells from H(2)O (2)-induced apoptosis by blocking the intrinsic pathway

Protective Effects and Mechanisms of Pectolinarin against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress in SH-SY5Y Neuronal Cells

This study aims to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of pectolinarin against oxidative stress-induced cell damage in SH-SY5Y cells. Neurodegenerative diseases-such as Alzheimer's disease-are potentially associated with oxidative stress, which causes excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage DNA and proteins in neuronal cells. The results of this study demonstrate that pectolinarin can scavenge hydroxyl and nitric oxide radicals in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, pectolinarin significantly increased cell viability while reducing ROS production and LDH release in the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced control group. Additionally, Pectolinarin recovered protein expression from H2O2-altered levels back to close-to-normal SH-SY5Y cell levels for components of the oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis pathways-such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), kelch-like ECH-associated protein (Keap1), anti-heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), B-cell lympho-ma-2 (Bcl-2) protein, and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax). These findings suggest that pectolinarin has the potential to be used as a plant material for functional foods to be applied in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, by mitigating oxidative stress-induced damage to neuronal cells.

Protective effects of flavonoids from the leaves of Carya cathayensis Sarg. against H2O2-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in vitro

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can induce apoptosis by releasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species, which cause mitochondrial damage. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of flavonoids from the leaves of Carya cathayensis Sarg. against H2O2-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in vitro. The bioactivity of total flavonoids (TFs) and five monomeric flavonoids [cardamonin (Car), pinostrobin chalcone, wogonin, chrysin and pinocembrin] from the leaves of Carya cathayensis Sarg. (LCCS) were tested to prevent oxidative damage to rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) induced by H2O2. Oxidated superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, lactate dehydrogenase and ROS were analyzed to evaluate the antioxidant activity. Gene and protein expression patterns were assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. The results indicated that TFs and Car inhibited H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis of RAECs. Additionally, they regulated the level of oxidase and inhibited the production of ROS. Overall, the TFs extracted from LCCS could potentially be developed as effective candidate drugs to prevent oxidative stress in the future; moreover, they could also provide a direction in investigations for preventing antioxidant activity through the ROS pathway.

Iranian Salvia species: A phytochemical and pharmacological update

Salvia is the largest genus of the Lamiaceae family, with over 900 species in the world which about 60 species are distributed in Iran, 17 of them are endemic. In Iran, Salvia species have been used to treat various diseases with a wide spectrum of pharmacological activity in vitro and in vivo. The present review summarizes the phytochemistry and pharmacology of medicinal Iranian Salvia species in order to describe their therapeutic potential for a range of diseases. . Phytochemical investigations reveal that the Iranian Salvia has a varied range of metabolites including terpenoids, flavonoids and phenolic acids. The most important pharmacological activities are antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory. Iranian Salvia traditionally used as carminatives, analgesics, digestive aids, antiseptics, sedative, anxiolytic, hypnotic, pain reduction and antidiabetic. Among the endemic species, the most interesting for human health are treating a variety of diseases.

Effects of Some Lamiaceae Species on NO Production and Cell Injury in Hydrogen Peroxide-induced Stress

Nitric oxide (NO) is a key mediator that plays an important role in pathogenesis of various chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, there is a great attitude for finding natural compounds, which could control and inhibit NO production in pathological conditions. Therefore, we were encouraged to investigate the effects of some Lamiaceae species on NO production and cell injury during oxidative stress in PC12 cells. In this study, cell death determined by MTT assay and NO levels were evaluated using Griess assay. PC12 cells were exposed to total metanolic extracts of three Scutellaria and one Nepeta species. The results revealed that Nepeta laxiflora (N. laxiflora) could protect PC12 cells from hydrogen proxide-induced oxidative stress and all of the plants inhibited NO production in that condition except Scutellaria tournefortii (Sc. tournefortii). In addition, Scutellaria multicaulis (Sc. multicaulis) was meanwhile subjected to fractionation using different organic solvents. The dichloromethan and ethyl acetate fractions of Sc. multicaulis could protect PC12 cells from oxidative stress injury. However, NO production was restrained by the hexane and dichloromethane fractions. Considering the results, N. laxiflora, Scutellaria nepetifolia (Sc. nepetifolia), and Sc. multicaulis are good candidates for further investigations in neuroprotection and anti-inflammation studies.

Protective properties of Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl. essential oil against oxidative stress-induced neuronal injury

Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl., known as "Spanish sage", has potential value in dementia for its sedative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticholinesterase properties. This work aimed to evaluate the in vitro neuroprotective activity of S. lavandulifolia essential oils, obtained from plants at different phenological stages (vegetative and flowering phases) and plants grown at different densities, against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells. The effect on cell viability and morphology, lipid peroxidation, GSH/GSSG ratio, intracellular ROS levels, antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GR, GPx, HO-1) and apoptotic enzymes was investigated. Comparing with H2O2-treated PC12 cells, pretreatments with essential oil samples attenuated morphological changes and loss of cell viability, decreased MDA levels and intracellular ROS production and increased GSH/GSSG ratio. Moreover, Spanish sage increased antioxidant status as evidenced in an increase of antioxidant enzyme activity and protein expression and inhibited caspase-3 activity. Furthermore, our results suggest that S. lavandulifolia essential oils are able to activate Nrf2 transcription factor. Collectively, the sample of essential oil obtained with the highest densities of planting and at flowering phase exerted the major neuroprotective activity. Our findings demonstrate that S. lavandulifolia essential oils may have therapeutic value for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases associated with oxidative stress-induced neuronal injury.

Carthamus, Salvia and Stachys species protect neuronal cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis

CONTEXT

Finding effective therapies for neurodegenerative diseases is of utmost importance for the aging population. Plants growing in Iran are rich sources of antioxidants and active phytochemicals.

OBJECTIVE

The protective capacity of plants, with a special focus on those with reported antioxidant or neuroprotective potential or nervous system-related applications in folk medicine, was tested against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Aerial parts of 20 plants including Carthamus, Salvia, and Stachys species were extracted with 80% methanol and dichloromethane and preincubated with neuronal PC12 cells for 3 h. Oxidative stress and apoptosis were induced by hydrogen peroxide (75 µM, 1 h exposure). Cell viability and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by MTT and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein-diacetate (DCFH-DA) assays, respectively, while apoptosis was determined by annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining by a flow cytometer.

RESULTS

Eighty percent methanol extracts of Carthamus oxyacantha Bieb. (Asteraceae), Salvia santolinifolia Boiss. (Lamiaceae), and Salvia sclarea L. (Lamiaceae) at the concentration of 100 μg/ml showed significant neuroprotection in the MTT assay by 38.7, 34.7, and 39.5%, respectively, and inhibited intracellular ROS by 48.6, 61.9, and 61.4%, respectively. The first two extracts also significantly inhibited apoptosis. Dichloromethane extracts of C. oxyacantha and Stachys pilifera Benth. (Lamiaceae) at the concentration of 25 μg/ml showed neuroprotection by 27.5 and 26.5%, respectively, and inhibited ROS by 44.5 and 39.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The above-mentioned plants seem to have important biological activities and their further study may lead to the discovery of new natural therapeutics useful against disorders such as Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases.

Phytochemical and Pharmacological Aspects of Salvia mirzayanii Rech. f. & Esfand

Salvia mirzayanii Rech. f. & Esfand is an endemic herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The plant grows in the center and south of Iran and is broadly used in folk medicine. This review focuses on phytochemical and pharmacological data of S mirzayanii. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Scientific Information Database (Iranian database involving English and Persian articles), and Google Scholar were searched for terms “ Salvia mirzayanii,” “Iranian sage,” “ Marv-e-Talkh,” and “ Moor-e-Talkh” in both Persian and English up to December 10, 2013. In line with the ethnopharmacological uses, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and insecticidal activities of different preparations of S mirzayanii have been shown in recent studies. The antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic strains has mainly been attributed to the essential oil of S mirzayanii, which in numerous analyses has been investigated either in plants of different origin or prepared by differing extraction methods. Despite the studies on antioxidant or antimicrobial activities, profound research on the toxicity or clinical properties of the herb is missing.