Di-Huang-Yi-Zhi herbal formula attenuates amyloid-β-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells

• Published in: Experimental and therapeutic medicine Vol. 13; no. 6; pp. 3003 - 3008
• Main Authors: An, Hong-Mei, Lin, Chen, Gu, Chao, Chen, Jin-Jun, Sun, Wen-Xian, Jin, Miao, Zhang, Tian-Li, Qiu, Ming-Feng, Hu, Bing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece Spandidos Publications UK Ltd 01.06.2017; D.A. Spandidos
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Apoptosis; Chinese medicine; Cognitive ability; Cytotoxicity; Dementia; Herbs; Memory; Neurotoxicity; Pathogenesis; Proteins; Quality control; United States > US; China; Di-Huang-Yi-Zhi; amyloid-β; apoptosis; mitochondria; PC12 cells; reactive oxygen species
• ISSN: 1792-0981; 1792-1015
• DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.4368

Traditional Chinese medicine can be used for Alzheimer's disease management, such as the modern herbal formula Di-Huang-Yi-Zhi (DHYZ). In the present study, neuronal differentiated PC12 cells were used as a model to evaluate the effects of DHYZ against amyloid-β peptide 25-35 (Aβ ) induced neurotoxicity, particularly regarding cell proliferation, apoptosis and related events. Following treatment with DHYZ, cell viability, cell membrane damage, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release, caspase-3 activity and levels of reactive oxygen species in PC12 cells were detected. The results demonstrated that pretreatment with DHYZ significantly protected PC12 cells from Aβ -induced proliferation inhibition, lactate dehydrogenase release and apoptosis, as well as upregulating mitochondrial membrane potential and downregulating cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation. DHYZ also inhibited the Aβ -induced reactive oxygen species generation in PC12 cells. These observations suggest that DHYZ protected PC12 cells from the Aβ-induced neurotoxicity.