Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans from Schisandra chinensis protect primary cultures of rat cortical cells from glutamate-induced toxicity

✍ Scribed by So Ra Kim; Mi Kyeong Lee; Kyung Ah Koo; Seung Hyun Kim; Sang Hyun Sung; Na Gyong Lee; George J. Markelonis; Tae H. Oh; Jae Ho Yang; Young Choong Kim

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 374 KB
• Volume: 76
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0360-4012
• DOI: 10.1002/jnr.20089

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A methanolic extract of dried Schisandra fruit (Schisandra chinensis Baill.; Schisandraceae) significantly attenuated the neurotoxicity induced by L‐glutamate in primary cultures of rat cortical cells. Five dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans (deoxyschisandrin, gomisin N, gomisin A, schisandrin, and wuweizisu C) were isolated from the methanolic extract; their protective effects against glutamate‐induced neurotoxicity were then evaluated. Among the five lignans, deoxyschisandrin, gomisin N, and wuweizisu C significantly attenuated glutamate‐induced neurotoxicity as measured by 1) an inhibition in the increase of intracellular [Ca^2+^]; 2) an improvement in the glutathione defense system, the level of glutathione, and the activity of glutathione peroxidase; and 3) an inhibition in the formation of cellular peroxide. These results suggest that dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans from Schisandra chinensis may possess therapeutic potential against oxidative neuronal damage induced by excitotoxin. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.