Protective effect of a novel herbmedicine, Hepad, on apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells and a rat model of Parkinson’s disease

摘要

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. In this study, we investigated the effects of a novel herb formula, Hepad, on PD. Dose-dependent treatment with 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) decreased the viability of SH-SY5Y cells, and Hepad inhibited the toxic effect of MPP+. Hepad blocked the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by MPP+ in SH-SY5Y cells, and suppressed the activation of caspase 9 and caspase 3 due to MPP+. A rat model of PD was generated by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injection into the left medial forebrain bundle (MFB) of SD rats. In D-amphetamine sulfate-induced rotational behavioral tests, Hepad administration attenuated circling behavior relative to the 6-OHDA-treated disease group. In addition, Hepad treatment significantly increased the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) that had decreased in response to 6-OHDA treatment (P0.05). OX-6 expression, which indicates the presence of microglial cells, decreased significantly after treatment of Hepad in contrast to the 6-OHDA-treated disease group (P0.05). These results indicate that Hepad may be a useful neuroprotective material for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as PD.