Abstract
Oxidative stress, considered one of the major factors leading to cell damage or death, is characteristic of many neurodegenerative diseases. Extracts of the Peruvian plant Lepidium meyenii (maca) containing compounds such as macamides and others, have been shown in preliminary in vivo studies to exert neuroprotective effects. In this study, the neuroprotective effects of the pentane extract and various isolated macamides were evaluated on neurotoxicity induced by hydrogen peroxide in two cultured animal cell lines: Orconectes limosus (crayfish), OLGA‐PH‐J/92, and rat neuroblastoma, NG108‐15, cell lines. Determination of cell viability used the MTS assay and spectrophotometric measurement. Experiments in crayfish neurons showed that various concentrations of the pentane extract and the macamides attenuated hydrogen‐peroxide induced cell oxidative stress in vitro, by 25‐52% compared to control. Studies on rat neuroblastoma cells using various incubation parameters showed a reduction of oxidative damage by a range of 11‐66% (depending on experimental method used). These in vitro studies support the in vivo neuroprotective effects observed in ischemia‐damaged rats. Additional studies are needed to further characterize the pharmacology of these compounds for their potential as a clinically useful approach to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Supported by: SURF MCPHS.
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