Abstract
Two-thirds of people with dementia suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and there is a need to develop treatments with fewer side effects. Cholinergic and glutamate-induced brain damage occurs in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, so substances that suppress these symptoms may be potential candidates for the treatment. Ethanol extracts of 40 kinds of oriental medicine plants were examined whether they have acetylcholine esterase (Ache) inhibitory properties. We next investigated whether the ethanol extracts of six oriental medicine plants showing Ache inhibitory activity could inhibit glutamate-induced HT22 cell death. The ethanol extract of Styrax japonica (EESJ) was found to be relatively superior in both inhibitory activities. MTT and annexin V/PI staining assays confirmed that EESJ inhibited glutamate-induced apoptosis in the HT22 mouse hippocampal cells. EESJ also suppressed glutamate-mediated ROS production and attenuated the phosphorylation levels of MAPK members including ERK, JNK, and p38 kinases. Therefore, EESJ is a suitable candidate for developing a substance of Alzheimer’s disease treatment.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
