Phenylethanoid glycosides from Cistanches salsa inhibit apoptosis induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion in neurons.

In our study we investigated the neuroprotective effects of phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) from Cistanches salsa on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP(+))-induced apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). CGNs were treated with 100 microM MPP(+) for 24h to induce apoptosis, simultaneously CGNs were incubated with PhGs at 10, 20 and 40 microg/ml, respectively. In addition CGNs were pretreated with PhGs at 20 microg/ml for 6, 12, 24 h, respectively, and then treated with 100 microM MPP(+) for 24 h. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-ylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay revealed that the treatment of CGNs with PhGs inhibited the decrease of cell viability induced by MPP(+). The activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 was induced by MPP(+) in apoptosis. The caspase-3 and caspase-8 fluorogenic assays showed that the treatments of CGNs with PhGs efficiently suppressed the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 induced by MPP(+). It is concluded that PhGs can prevent the MPP(+)-induced apoptosis in CGNs and exert its anti-apoptosis effect by inhibiting caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities.