Alzheimer's disease drug discovery from herbs: Neuroprotectivity from beta-amyloid (1-42) insult

作者：Kim Darrick S H L^*; Kim Jin Yung; Han Ye Sun

来源：Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2007, 13(3): 333-340.

DOI：10.1089/acm.2006.6107

Objective: To comparatively evaluate selected herbs for their ability to protect neuronal cells from direct,beta A(1-42) insult.
Design: Twenty-seven (27) herbs were selected, extracted with aqueous methanol (90%) and chloroform, and the extracts were evaluated for their ability to protect PC12 rat pheochromocytoma and primary neuronal cells from beta A(1-42) insult using both 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide reduction assay and lactate dehydrogenase efflux assay.
Results: Curcuma aromatia (ul-keum) and Zingiber officinale (ginger) extracts effectively protected cells from beta A(1-42) insult, followed by Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo), Polygonatum sp. (King Solomon's seal), Cinnamum cassia (Chinese cinnamon), Rheum coreanum (Korean rhubarb), Gastrodia elata (gastrodia), and Scutellaria baicalensis (skullcap). Several extracts showed cytotoxicity at high concentration (similar to 150 mu g/mL), whereas other extracts did not at all protect cells from beta A(1-42) insult.
Conclusion: Selective herbs may be potentially important resources to discover drug candidates against the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

• 出版日期2007-4