碩士 / 國立陽明大學 / 生物藥學研究所 / 88 / Excitotoxivity of glutamate (Glu) is thought to play an important role in the neuronal loss occurred in numerous brain diseases. Using Glu-induced cell death in hippocampal cultures as an in vitro model system, this study was undertaken to assess the therapeutic application of Semen Cuscuta chinensis (Cuch) to neuronal loss observed in brain diseases.
It was found that the water extract of Cuch attenuated neural injury in hippocampal neuron/glia mixed cultures during the period of Glu administration. The herbal medicine appeared to decrease the rate of LDH release in hippocampal neuron/glia mixed cultures after Glu exposure. Moreove it showed a wide time window of efficacy since it remained protective 9 hrs after the application of Glu. This protective effect of Chch, nonetheless, was decreased by a transcription inhibitor.
Cuch significantly increased the release of interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in mixed cultures during Glu administration. Cuch, nonetheless was no longer capable of decreasing Glu-induced cell death in mixed cultures in which endogenous IL-1β was neutralized with a specific antibody. Thus, it is suggested that IL-1β may take part in the protective effect of Cuch.
Using cultures containing different percentages of neurons, I hace demonstrated that Cuch conferred neuronal cell protection against Glu-induced toxicity. The beneficial action of the herb, nonetheless, was not observed in cultured glial cells. In contrast, the metabolic activity increased in glial cultures subjected to Cuch treatment, indicating the dual effect of Cuch on different cellular targets.
Taken together, Cuch appears to render neuronal cells resistant to excitotoxicity. Given the wide time window of efficiency, it is conceivable that would serve as an effective agent for pharmacological interference with neurodegeneration during brain diseases.
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| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TW/088YM000603002 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Pei-Yu Wang, 王培育 |
| Contributors | Yun-Chia Chou, 周韻家 |
| Source Sets | National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan |
| Language | zh-TW |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Format | 76 |
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