Inhibitory effects of saikosaponin a on rat hippocampal astrocyte activation in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of saikosaponin a (SSa) on Glu-activated hippocampal astrocytes of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Neonatal rat (1-3 days) hippocampal astrocytes were obtained and divided into control group, L-Glu activation group and SSa groups with SSa treatment at 5, 2.5, and 1.25 mg/L. The cell proliferation, cell cycle changes, and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) after the treatments were assessed with MTT assay, flow cytometry and Western blotting, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In comparison with Glu-activation group, SSa treatment resulted in significant inhibition of the cell proliferation, cell division and GFAP expression in the Glu-activated astrocytes (P < 0.05). SSa at 2.5 mg/L showed the strongest inhibitory effects against astrocyte activation and maintained nearly normal level of astrocyte activation in comparison with the control group (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Glu-induced activation of rat hippocampal astrocytes can be inhibited by SSa, whose antiepileptic effects is probably mediated by inhibition of hippocampal astrocyte activation.</p>