The protective effects of gastrodin on methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To compare the protective effects of gastrodin and melatonin on methamphetamine ( MA )-induced neurotoxicity of cortical neurons. Methods Cortical neuron cells were treated with different concentrations of methamphetamine for 24 h, then the cell viability was detected by CCK-8 kit to choose the optimal concentration of MA. The cells were treated with different concentrations of gastrodin or melatonin 2 h before the treatment of cells with optimal concentration of MA for 24 h. The optimal concentrations of gastrodin and melatonin were determined by CCK-8 kit as well. Cortical neuron cells were randomly divided into con trol group, MA group, gastrodin plus MA group, and melatonin plus MA group. Then the apoptotic rate of cells was detected by TUNEL method . The expression of Caspase-3 in cells was assessed by immunofluorescence. Results The optimal concentration of MA was 0. 5 mmol • L"1. After treating with MA, the numbers of cortical neurons decreased, the length of synapses became shorter, and the cell vacuolation, the number of dead cells increased. The optimal concentration of gastrodin was 25 mg • L'1, and the optimal concentration of melatonin was 10 jimol • L"1. Gastrodin treatment could reduce the apoptosis of cortical neurons induced by MA, and the expression of Caspase-3 decreased as well, and there was no significant difference compared with the intervention effect of gastrodin with melatonin. Conclusions MA has neurotoxic damage to cortical neurons. Gastrodin could attenuate MA-in-duced neurotoxicity via alleviating the apoptosis induced by MA.