Protective effect of Hypericum perforatum, Linn (St. John's wort) against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis on human neuroblastoma cells

作者：Jang MH; Lee TH; Shin MC; Bahn GH; Kim JW; Shin DH; Kim EH; Kim CJ^*

来源：Neuroscience Letters, 2002, 329(2): 177-180.

DOI：10.1016/S0304-3940(02)00644-4

• St. John's wort
• reactive oxygen species
• neuroblastoma cell line
• apoptosis
• caspase-3 activity

The medicinal plant Hypericum perforatum Linn, commonly known as St. John's wort, has been used as an antidepressant. To investigate whether St. John's wort possesses a protective effect against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cytotoxicity in neuronal cells, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yi)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, flow cytometry analysis, DNA fragmentation assay, and caspase-3 enzyme assay were performed on SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma cells. Cells treated with H2O2 exhibited several apoptotic features, while those pre-treated with St. John's wort prior to H2O2 exposure showed a decreased occurrence of apoptotic features. In addition, pre-treatment with St. John's wort inhibited H2O2-induced increase in caspase-3 enzyme activity. These results suggest that St. John's wort may exert a protective effect against H2O2-induced apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells.

• 出版日期2002-8-30