Velvet antler methanol extracts (MEs) protects against oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans by SKN-1

Neuroprotective effects of Anshen Bunao Syrup on cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease rat models

Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a significant challenge due to its prevalence and lack of cure, driving the quest for effective treatments. Anshen Bunao Syrup, a traditional Chinese medicine known for its neuroprotective properties, shows promise in addressing this need. However, understanding its precise mechanisms in AD remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate Anshen Bunao Syrup's therapeutic potential in AD treatment using a scopolamine-induced AD rat model. Assessments included novel-object recognition and Morris water maze tasks to evaluate spatial learning and memory, alongside Nissl staining and ELISA analyses for neuronal damage and biomarker levels. Results demonstrated that Anshen Bunao Syrup effectively mitigated cognitive dysfunction by inhibiting amyloid-β and phosphorylation Tau aggregation, thereby reducing neuronal damage. Metabolomics profiling of rats cortex revealed alterations in key metabolites implicated in tryptophan and fatty acid metabolism pathways, suggesting a role in the therapeutic effects of Anshen Bunao Syrup. Additionally, ELISA and correlation analyses indicated attenuation of oxidative stress and immune response through metabolic remodeling. In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence for the neuroprotective effects of Anshen Bunao Syrup in AD models, shedding light on its potential as a therapeutic agent for AD prevention and treatment.

Anti-Aging Effect of Hemerocallis citrina Baroni Polysaccharide-Rich Extract on Caenorhabditis elegans

Plant polysaccharides are important for anti-aging research. Polysaccharides from Hemerocallis citrina Baroni (H. citrina) have been reported to have antioxidant activity; however, their anti-aging roles and mechanisms are not clear. In this study, we extracted polysaccharides from H. citrina by an ultrasonic-assisted water extraction-alcohol precipitation method and chemically determined the physicochemical properties such as extraction yield, content, and in vitro antioxidant properties of H. citrina polysaccharide-rich extract (HCPRE). Using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a model animal, the anti-aging effect of HCPRE was investigated, and the mechanism of action of HCPRE was explored by the in vivo antioxidant level assay of C. elegans and the related gene expression assay. The extraction yield of HCPRE was 11.26%, the total polysaccharide content was 77.96%, and the main monosaccharide components were glucose and galactose. In addition, HCPRE exhibited good antioxidant activity both in vitro and in vivo. Under normal thermal stress and oxidative stress conditions, being fed 1200 µg/mL of HCPRE significantly prolonged the life span of C. elegans by 32.65%, 17.71%, and 32.59%, respectively. Our study showed that HCPRE exerted an anti-aging effect on C. elegans, and its mechanism involves increasing the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), reducing the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and regulating the expression of related genes.

Well-known polypeptides of deer antler velvet with key actives: modern pharmacological advances

Deer antler velvet, with kidney tonifying, promoting the production of essence and blood, strengthening tendons and bones, not only has a thousand-year medicinal history but also its modern pharmacology mainly focuses on its active polypeptides on motor, nerve, and immune systems. The purpose of this report is to fill the gap in the comprehensive, systematic, and detailed review of polypeptides during the recent 30 years (1992-2023). The research method was to review 53 pharmacological articles from the Public Medicine, Web of science, ACS, and Science Direct database sources by searching the keywords "pilose antler," "deer velvet," "Pilose Antler Peptide (PAP) and Velvet Antler Polypeptide (VAP)." The results showed that deer antler polypeptides (DAPs), by regulating EGF, EGFR, MAPK, P38, ERK, NF-κB, Wnt, PI3K, Akt, MMP, AMPK, Stir1, NLRP3, HO-1, Nrf, Rho, TLR, TGF-β, Smad, Ang II, etc., revealed their effects on seven system-related diseases and their mechanisms, including osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, triple-negative breast cancer, liver injury, liver fibrosis, cardiovascular disease, acute lung injury, and late-onset hypogonadism. In conclusion, DAPs have good effects on motor and other system-related diseases, but the secondary and tertiary structures of DAPs (0.5-1800 KDa) need to be further elucidated, and the structure-activity relationship study is still unavailable and needs to be covered. It is expected that this review may provide the necessary literature support for further research. The activities and mechanisms of polypeptides from the past 30 years (1992-2023) are summarized covering seven systems, related diseases, and its regulatory genes and proteins.

Methionine Supplementation Affects Fecal Bacterial Community and Production Performance in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)

Amino acid balance is central to improving the efficiency of feed protein utilization and for reducing environmental pollution caused by intensive farming. In previous studies, supplementation with limiting amino acids has been shown to be an effective means of improving animal nutrient utilization and performance. In this experiment, the effects of methionine on the apparent digestibility of nutrients, antler nutrient composition, rumen fluid amino acid composition, fecal volatile fatty acids and intestinal bacteria in antler-growing sika deer were investigated by randomly adding different levels of methionine to the diets of three groups of four deer at 0 g/day (CON), 4 g/day (LMet) and 6 g/day (HMet). Methionine supplementation significantly increased the apparent digestibility of organic matter, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in the LMet group (p < 0.05). The crude protein and collagen protein of antlers were significantly higher in the LMet and HMet groups compared to the CON group and also significantly higher in the HMet group compared to the LMet group, while the calcium content of antlers was significantly lower in the HMet group (p < 0.05). Ruminal fluid free amino acid composition was altered in the three groups of sika deer, with significant changes in aspartic acid, citrulline, valine, cysteine, methionine, histidine and proline. At the phylum level, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were highest in the rectal microflora. Unidentified bacterial abundance was significantly decreased in the HMet group compared to the CON group. Based on the results of principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and Adonis analysis, there was a significant difference in the composition of the intestinal flora between the CON and HMet groups (p < 0.05). At the genus level, compared with the CON group, the abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-010 in the LMet group increased significantly (p < 0.05), the abundance of dgA-11_gut_group in the HMet group decreased significantly (p < 0.05) and the abundance of Lachnospiraceae_UCG-010, Saccharofermentans and Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group increased significantly. Taken together, the results showed that methionine supplementation was beneficial in increasing the feed utilization efficiency and improving antler quality in sika deer, while affecting the composition of fecal bacteria.

Chlorogenic Acid of Cirsium japonicum Resists Oxidative Stress Caused by Aging and Prolongs Healthspan via SKN-1/Nrf2 and DAF-16/FOXO in Caenorhabditis elegans

To evaluate the value of Cirsium japonicum (CJ; thistle) as a material for functional foods, we studied the functional composition of cultivated CJ and the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of the functional substance. The detected phenolics in farmed CJ were chlorogenic acid (CA), linarin (LIN), and pectolinarin (PLIN) by HPLC analysis. As a result of the antioxidant activity of CJ and its phenolics by DPPH and ABTS method, CA had shown the greatest antioxidant activity. We employed Caenorhabditis elegans to validate that in vitro effects of CA are shown in vivo. CA delayed reduction in pumping rate and progeny production during aging of C. elegans. Under both normal and oxidative stress conditions, CA reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in worms and increased their lifespan. In particular, CA showed the reducing effect of ROS accumulation due to aging in aged worms (8 days old). To gain insight into the mechanism, we used skn-1/Nrf2 and daf-16/FOXO transformed worms. The CA effects (on catalase activity and lifespan extension) in the wild-type (WT) decreased in skn-1 and daf-16 mutants. In particular, CA strongly relied on daf-16 under mild oxidative condition and skn-1 under overall (from mild to strong) oxidative stress to reduce ROS and extend healthspan. Thus, we conclude that CA, a key bioactive phenolic of CJ, reduces ROS production and ultimately extends healthspan, and this effect is the result of actions of daf-16 or skn-1 at different stages depending on the degree of oxidation or aging. Our results suggest that CJ containing CA can be used as an antiaging material due to its antioxidant properties.

Velvet antler water extract protects porcine oocytes from lipopolysaccharide-induced meiotic defects

Previous studies have demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as a central toxic factor of gram-negative bacteria, can induce oxidative stress and cellular inflammation to result in the impairment of female fertility in different organisms. Particularly, it has harmful effects on the oocyte quality and subsequent embryonic development. However, the approach concerning how to prevent oocytes from LPS-induced deterioration still remains largely unexplored. We assessed the effective influences of velvet antler water extract (VAWE) by immunostaining and fluorescence intensity quantification on the meiotic maturation, mitochondrial function and sperm binding ability of oocytes under oxidative stress. Here, we report that VAWE treatment restores the quality of porcine oocytes exposed to LPS. Specifically, LPS exposure contributed to the failed oocyte maturation, reduced sperm binding ability and fertilization capability by disturbing the dynamics and arrangement of meiotic apparatuses and organelles, including spindle assembly, chromosome alignment, actin polymerization, mitochondrial dynamics and cortical granule distribution, the indicators of oocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation. Notably, VAWE treatment recovered these meiotic defects by removing the LPS-induced excessive ROS and thus inhibiting the apoptosis. Collectively, our study illustrates that VAWE treatment is a feasible strategy to improve the oocyte quality deteriorated by the LPS-induced oxidative stress.

Ginsenoside Rd protects transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans from β-amyloid toxicity by activating oxidative resistant

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a serious public health issue but few drugs are currently available for the disease, and these only target the symptoms. It is well established that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in AD, and there is compelling evidence linking oxidative stress to β-amyloid (Aβ). An exciting source of potential new AD therapeutic medication possibilities is medicinal plants. Ginsenoside Rd (GS-Rd) is one of the main bioactive substances in ginseng extracts. In our study, we used a network pharmacology analysis to identify overlapping GS-Rd (therapeutic) and AD (disease)-relevant protein targets, gene ontology (GO) and bio-process annotation, and the KEGG pathway analysis data predicted that GS-Rd impacts multiple targets and pathways, such as the MAPK signal pathway and the JAT-STAT3 signaling pathway. We then assessed the role of GS-Rd in C. elegans and found that GS-Rd prolongs lifespan, improves resistance to heat stress, delays physical paralysis and increases oxidative stress responses. Overall, these results suggest that GS-Rd protects against the toxicity of Aβ. The RNA-seq analysis revealed that GS-Rd achieves its effects by regulating gene expressions like daf-16 and skn-1, as well as by participating in many AD-related pathways like the MAPK signaling pathway. In addition, in CL4176 worms, GS-Rd decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and increased SOD activity. Additional research with transgenic worms showed that GS-Rd aided in the movement of DAF-16 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Taken together, the results indicate that GS-Rd significantly reduces Aβ aggregation by targeting the MAPK signal pathway, induces nuclear translocation of DAF-16 to activate downstream signaling pathways and increases resistance to oxidative stress in C. elegans to protect against Aβ-induced toxicity.

Antioxidant and anti-aging activities of Laminaria japonica polysaccharide in Caenorhabditis elegans based on metabonomic analysis

In this study, Laminaria japonica polysaccharide (LJP) was measured in vitro against three antioxidant indicators: DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl. In vivo, LJP investigated thermal tolerance, H2O2-induced oxidative stress tolerance, and lipofuscin in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Following that, after LJP treatment, the effects and underlying mechanisms were investigated at the mRNA and metabolite levels. We discovered the free radical scavenging activity of LJP. The thermal tolerance of C. elegans improved significantly, lowering levels of malondialdehyde, lipofuscin, and reactive oxygen species. Upregulation of Glp-1, Daf-16, Skn-1, and Sod-3 expression and downregulation of Age-1 and Daf-2 expression increased the ability to resist oxidative stress. Metabolomic analysis revealed that LJP promoted alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, the TCA cycle, butanoate metabolism, and the FOXO signaling pathway expression, resulting in significant changes in (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid, palmitic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-malic acid, and oleic acid. The present study shows that LJP, as a functional food, has the potential to boost antioxidant capacity and delay aging.

Ethanol extracts of Rhaponticum uniflorum (L.) DC inflorescence ameliorate LPS-mediated acute lung injury by alleviating inflammatory responses via the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Rhaponticum uniflorum (L.) DC is a member of the Compositae family. Loulu flowers (LLF) is the inflorescence of this plant, which is a commonly used Mongolian medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases due to its heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. It is used caused by. However, its anti-inflammatory mechanisms are not clear.

AIM OF THIS STUDY

We investigated whether ethanol extracts of LLF can alleviate LPS-induced acute lung injury and explored the mechanism involved.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

BALB/C mice were intragastrically administered with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (0.5%, 1 mL/100 g) or ethanol extracts of LLF at a dose of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, once daily, for 3 days. Subsequently, mice models of acute lung injury were established by LPS and used for the determination of anti-inflammatory effects of LLF. After 6 h of treatment, mice were sacrificed to collect lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). H&E staining assay was performed on the tissues for pathological analysis. The ELISA test was conducted to measure NO, IL-6, TNF-α, MPO, SOD, CAT, MDA and GSH-PX levels. The expression level of proteins associated with the Nrf2/HO-1 and MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways were determined using Western blot analysis. Levels of F4/80 and Nrf2 in lungs were quantified using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Oral administration of LLF extracts alleviated LPS-induced pathological alterations, reduced lung W/D weight ratio, decreased levels of TP, pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-6), and NO in BALF. Pretreatment with LLF extract downregulated F4/80 expression in lung tissue and suppressed LPS-induced elevations in BALF and lung tissue levels of MPO. Moreover, treatment with LLF extract reduced the expression level of proteins associated with the MAPK signaling pathway (p-p38, p-JNK, p-ERK) and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways (TLR4, Myd88, p-IκB, p-p65). Moreover, LLF extract upregulated Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO1 protein levels, downregulated Keap1 protein level. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that LLF reduced the LPS-induced increase in Nfr2 expression in lung tissues.

CONCLUSION

Ethanol extracts of LLF ameliorated LPS-induced acute lung injury by suppressing inflammatory response and enhancing antioxidation capacity, which correlated with the MAPK/NF-κB and Nfr2/HO-1 signaling pathways.

Mechanisms of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Treatment with Deer Antlers Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Background

With the aging of the population, the prevalence of IVDD increases preoperatively. How to better treat IVDD has become an important clinical issue. Deer antlers proved to have a great effect on the treatment of IVDD in many studies, but the molecular mechanism has not been clarified.

Objective

To investigate the molecular mechanism and target of deer antlers in the treatment of IVDD.

Methods

Compounds from deer antlers were collected and targets were predicted using HERB, TCMSP, TCMID, SwissADME, and SwissTargetPrediction. Collection of disease targets for IVDD was done using GeneCards, TTD, DrugBank, DisGeNET, and OMIM. Cytoscape 3.7.2, AutoDock Vina (v1.1.2), and R software were used for data analysis and the construction of network diagrams.

Results

A total of 5 active compounds from deer antlers were screened and 104 therapeutic targets were predicted. A total of 1023 IVDD disease targets were collected. Subsequently, PPI network prediction analysis was performed for disease and treatment targets, and 112 core targets were collected after screening. After obtaining the core target, we used the clusterProfiler software package of R software to carry out GO and KEGG enrichment analyses for the core target and plot the bubble maps. According to the GO enrichment results, the main biological processes of IVDD treatment by deer antlers lie in the rhythmic process, mRNA catabolic process, and G1/S transition of the mitotic cell cycle. KEGG results were mainly related to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, and Notch signaling pathway. Molecular docking results showed that estrone had the best docking results on ESR1.

Conclusion

Deer antlers are rich in various compounds that can prevent the development of IVDD by upregulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and Notch signaling pathway. Its key compounds estradiol and estrone can reduce the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in tissues and organs, thus slowing down the progression of IVDD. Estrone, the active compound in deer antlers, was found by molecular docking to have good results against ESR1, the target of the disease, which may be a potential site for drug therapy.

Betulinic acid increases lifespan and stress resistance via insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans

Numerous studies reported that betulinic acid (BA), a natural product extracted from birch bark, exhibited various beneficial effects in vitro. However, its pharmacological activities in aging are rarely understood. In this study, Caenorhabditis elegans was deployed as a whole animal model to investigate the impacts of BA on lifespan and stress resistance. Wild-type C. elegans were fed in the presence or absence of BA and tested for a series of phenotypes, including longevity, mobility, reproductive capacity, pharyngeal pumping, heat stress, and oxidative stress. BA at the optimal dose (50 μg/mL) extended the lifespan, improved the healthspan, and significantly evoked the increased oxidative stress resistance in C. elegans. Incorporating the genetic analysis with different types of longevity mutants, DAF-16, the downstream effector of the Insulin/IGF-1 receptor signaling, was revealed to mediate the protective effects of BA on lifespan and antioxidant activity. Together, these data showcased the potential of BA in promoting healthy aging, which shall facilitate its further development in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Stress Buffering and Longevity Effects of Amber Extract on Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans)

Amber is a fossilized tree resin historically used in wound healing and stress relief. Unfortunately, there is no concrete scientific evidence supporting such efficacy. Here, the stress buffering and longevity effect of Amber extract (AE) in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was investigated. Survival assays, health span assays, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Stress biomarker detection assays, Green Fluorescence Proteins (GFP), Real Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and C. elegans mutants were employed to investigate the stress buffering and longevity effect of AE. In the study, it was observed that AE supplementation improved health span and survival in both normal and stressed worms. Additionally, AE positively regulated stress hormones (cortisol, oxytocin, and dopamine) and decreased fat and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Through the Insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway, AE enhanced the nuclear localization of DAF-16 and the expression of heat shock proteins and antioxidant genes in GFP-tagged worms and at messenger RNA levels. Finally, AE failed to increase the survival of daf-16, daf-2, skn-1 and hsf-1 loss-of-function mutants, confirming the involvement of the IIS pathway. Evidently, AE supplementation relieves stress and enhances longevity. Thus, amber may be a potent nutraceutical for stress relief.

Oxidation and Antioxidation of Natural Products in the Model Organism Caenorhabditiselegans

Natural products are small molecules naturally produced by multiple sources such as plants, animals, fungi, bacteria and archaea. They exert both beneficial and detrimental effects by modulating biological targets and pathways involved in oxidative stress and antioxidant response. Natural products’ oxidative or antioxidative properties are usually investigated in preclinical experimental models, including virtual computing simulations, cell and tissue cultures, rodent and nonhuman primate animal models, and human studies. Due to the renewal of the concept of experimental animals, especially the popularization of alternative 3R methods for reduction, replacement and refinement, many assessment experiments have been carried out in new alternative models. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans has been used for medical research since Sydney Brenner revealed its genetics in 1974 and has been introduced into pharmacology and toxicology in the past two decades. The data from C. elegans have been satisfactorily correlated with traditional experimental models. In this review, we summarize the advantages of C. elegans in assessing oxidative and antioxidative properties of natural products and introduce methods to construct an oxidative damage model in C. elegans. The biomarkers and signaling pathways involved in the oxidative stress of C. elegans are summarized, as well as the oxidation and antioxidation in target organs of the muscle, nervous, digestive and reproductive systems. This review provides an overview of the oxidative and antioxidative properties of natural products based on the model organism C. elegans.

Anti-aging effects of the fermented anthocyanin extracts of purple sweet potato on Caenorhabditis elegans

Anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic and antioxidant properties and anti-aging effects as well as potential application as pigments. The metabolism of anthocyanins in fermented food has attracted increasing attention. However, the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation on its anti-aging activity remains mostly unknown. The current study aimed to investigate the compositions, antioxidant activities and anti-aging effect of fermented purple sweet potato anthocyanins (FSPA) on aging Caenorhabditis elegans compared to raw purple sweet potato anthocyanins (PSPA). Results showed that anthocyanins were degraded into more bioavailable phenolic acids by Weissella confusa fermentation. PSPA and FSPA can extend the lifespan of C. elegans by 26.7% and 37.5%, respectively, through improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes as well as decreasing MDA content, ROS levels and lipofuscin accumulation. Pretreatment of the worms with PSPA and FSPA induced their potential to resist to thermal tolerance and oxidative stress, and FSPA exerted a higher anti-stress effect than PSPA. Moreover, FSPA supplementation upregulated the mRNA expressions of genes daf-16, hsp-16.2, sir-2.1, skn-1 and sod-3 and downregulated the expression of daf-2 in the nematodes, whereas PSPA only induced the increase in the expressions of sir-2.1, skn-1 and sod-3. Overall, FSPA can improve stress resistance and extend the lifespan of C. elegans by both insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway and dietary restriction pathway, providing a theoretical basis for the application of PSPA in fermented food as functional pigments.

SKN-1 is involved in combination of apple peels and blueberry extracts synergistically protecting against oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans

Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of age-related functional declines and chronic diseases, primarily attributed to their bioactive phytochemicals. Apples and blueberries are rich in phytochemicals with a wide range of biological activities and health benefits. Our previous research has shown the combination of apple peel extracts (APE) and blueberry extracts (BE) can synergistically promote the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The objectives of this study were to determine whether the extension of lifespan was involved in regulation of oxidative stress, and to explore the underlying mechanisms of action. The results showed that the combination of APE and BE could synergistically ameliorate oxidative stress by improving antioxidant enzyme activities and enhancing resistance to paraquat. Meanwhile, treatment with APE plus BE could down-regulate the overexpression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and affect the expression of antioxidant related genes, including sod-3, cat-1, ctl-1, skn-1, mev-1 and isp-1. However, administration with APE plus BE abolished the extension of the lifespan of skn-1(zu135) mutants, and inhibited the expression of skn-1 downstream genes, including gcs-1, gst-4 and gst-7. In addition, supplementation with APE plus BE could promote the migration of SKN-1 into the nucleus, which eliminated improvement to ROS and paraquat. In conclusion, the combination of APE and BE could synergistically protect against oxidative stress in C. elegans via the SKN-1/Nrf2 pathway. This study provided the theoretical basis to explore the combination of phytochemicals in the prevention of aging regulated by oxidative stress.

Velvet Antler Methanol Extracts Ameliorate Parkinson's Disease by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation: From C. elegans to Mice

Velvet antler is the traditional tonic food or medicine used in East Asia for treating aging-related diseases. Herein, we try to dissect the pharmacology of methanol extracts (MEs) of velvet antler on Parkinson's disease (PD). Caenorhabditis elegans studies showed that MEs decreased the aggregation of α-synuclein and protected oxidative stress-induced DAergic neuron degeneration. In vitro cellular data indicated that MEs suppressed the LPS-induced MAPKs and NF-κB activation, therefore inhibiting overproduction of reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6; blocking microglia activation; and protecting DAergic neurons from the microglia-mediated neurotoxicity. In vivo MPTP-induced PD mouse investigations found that MEs prevented MPTP-induced neuron loss in the substantia nigra and improved the behavioral rotating rod performance in MPTP-treated mice by increasing the expression level of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and downregulating α-synuclein protein expression. In all, these results demonstrate that MEs ameliorate PD by inhibiting oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.