Investigation of the neuroprotective effects of Lycium�barbarum water extract in apoptotic cells and Alzheimer's disease mice

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects people worldwide and is caused by chronic and progressive damage to the central nervous system. Lycium barbarum (LB), a renowned functional food and medicinal plant in Southeast Asia, may possess protective effects against nerve injury. The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of LB water extract in a differentiated (D)PC12 cellular apoptosis model induced by L-glutamic acid (L-Glu), and a mouse model of AD, induced by the combination of AlCl3 and D-galactose. LB markedly increased DPC12 cell survival against L-Glu induced damage by increasing cell viability, reducing the apoptosis rate and G1 phase arrest, suppressing intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation, blocking Ca2+ overload and preventing mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization. LB additionally normalized the expression levels of apoptosis regulator Bcl-2, apoptosis regulator BAX, and cleaved caspase-3, −8 and −9 in L-Glu exposed cells. In the AD mouse model, LB increased the amount of horizontal and vertical movement in the autonomic activity test, improved endurance time in the rotarod test and decreased escape latency time in the Morris water maze test. Additionally, the levels of acetylcholine and choline acetyltransferase were significantly increased in the serum and hypothalamus in the LB-treated AD mice. These data suggested that LB may exert neuroprotective effects and may aid in preventing neurodegenerative disease.

Anti‑inflammatory effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on mice with Alzheimer's disease

“…Flow cytometry detection ( 10 ): i) the test objects were the fourth-generation BMSCs. ii) The centrifugation parameters for the preparation of the flow cytometry samples were 800 × g/min at 4°C for 3 min.…”

Mingjing Granule, a Traditional Chinese Medicine in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…Lycium barbarum (LB), a renowned functional food and medicinal plant in Southeast Asia. Research data suggested that LB may exert neuroprotective effects and may aid in preventing neurodegenerative disease [46]. According to TCM theory raised from thousands of years of clinical practice, compatibility of medicinal herbs can strengthen the therapeutic e cacy and attenuate the toxicity of major component through drug-drug interaction.…”

New Insights for Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Aging-Related Diseases: Herbal Medicine as Potential Therapeutic Approach

“…Lycium barbarum has pharmacological actions such as regulating immunity, antitumor activity, nervous system function, liver protection, and slow aging process [185]. Hu et al [186] administered different doses of Chinese wolfberry, via the intragastric route, to a mouse model of AD induced by the combination of AlCl 3 and D-gal. They found that the quantity of horizontal and vertical movements increased while AChE and ChAT levels decreased significantly in mice.…”

“…Studies had shown that flavonoids had definite efficacy in the treatment of agerelated neurodegenerative diseases [226], cardiovascular diseases [227,228], atherosclerosis [229], etc. Some progress has Modulation of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis and the cholinergic system [186] 12…”