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Limonoids from Dictamnus dasycarpus Protect Against Glutamate-induced Toxicity in Primary Cultured Rat Cortical Cells

Journal of Molecular Neuroscience volume 42, pages 9–16 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

In our previous report, four limonoids, obacunone, limonin, fraxinellone, and calodendrolide, isolated from Dictamnus dasycarpus showed significant neuroprotective activity against glutamate toxicity in primary cultured rat cortical cells. This study investigated neuroprotective mechanism of these compounds using the same in vitro culture system. These four compounds showed significant neuroprotective activity at the concentration of 0.1 μM. They effectively inhibited calcium influx and overproduction of cellular nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species accompanied by glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, these compounds significantly preserved mitochondrial membrane potential and activities of antioxidative enzymes. Our results showed that obacunone, limonin, fraxinellone, and calodendrolide significantly protect primary culture cortical cells against glutamate-induced toxicity by preserving the antioxidant defense system. These compounds might offer potential drug development candidate for various neurodegenerative diseases involved with glutamate.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2009-0075964).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Sillim-Dong, Gwanak-Gu, Seoul, 151-742, South Korea

    Jeong Seon Yoon, Hyekyung Yang, Sang Hyun Sung & Young Choong Kim

  2. Institute for Life Science, Elcomscience Co. Ltd., San 56-1, Sillim-Dong, Gwanak-Gu, Seoul, 151-742, South Korea

    Seung Hyun Kim

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  1. Jeong Seon Yoon
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  2. Hyekyung Yang
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  3. Seung Hyun Kim
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  4. Sang Hyun Sung
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  5. Young Choong Kim
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Correspondence to Young Choong Kim.

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Yoon, J.S., Yang, H., Kim, S.H. et al. Limonoids from Dictamnus dasycarpus Protect Against Glutamate-induced Toxicity in Primary Cultured Rat Cortical Cells. J Mol Neurosci 42, 9–16 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-010-9333-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-010-9333-1

Keywords

  • Limonoids
  • Neuroprotection
  • Glutamate
  • Antioxidants