Vitis amurensis (VA; Vitaceae) has long been used in oriental herbal medicine. It has been reported that roots and seeds of VA have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In the present study, the protective effect of ethanol extract from stems and leaves of VA on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (100 μm)-induced neuronal cell damage was examined in primary cultured rat cortical neurons. VA (10-100 μg/ml) concentration-dependently inhibited H2O2-induced apoptotic neuronal cell death measured by 3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Hoechst 33342 staining. VA inhibited H2O2-induced elevation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which were measured by fluorescent dyes. Pretreatment of VA also prevented glutamate release into medium induced by 100 μm H2O2, which was measured by HPLC. These results suggest that VA showed a neuroprotective effect on H2O2-induced neuronal cell death by interfering with H2O2-induced elevation of [Ca2+]i, glutamate release, and ROS generation. This has a significant meaning of finding a new pharmacological activity of stems and leaves of VA in the CNS.

Moutan cortex, the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews (Paeoniaceae), has pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, analgesic and antioxidant activities. We investigated a methanol extract of Moutan cortex for neuroprotective effects on neurotoxicity induced by amyloid β protein (Aβ) (25-35) in cultured rat cortical neurons. Exposure of cultured cortical neurons to 10 μM Aβ (25-35) for 24 h induced neuronal apoptotic death. Moutan cortex inhibited 10 μM Aβ (25-35)-induced neuronal cell death at 30 and 50 μg/ml, which was measured by a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Hoechst 33342 staining. Moutan cortex inhibited 10 μM Aβ (25-35)-induced elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which were measured by fluorescent dyes. Moutan cortex also inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by 10 μM Aβ (25-35), which was measured by HPLC. These results suggest that Moutan cortex prevents Aβ (25-35)-induced neuronal cell damage by interfering with the increase of [Ca2+]i, and then inhibiting glutamate release and ROS generation. Moutan cortex may have a therapeutic role in preventing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Dried leaves from Cedrela sinensis A. Juss. (CS), have been observed to possess various pharmacological activity and contain various antioxidant constituents. The protective effect of ethanol extract of CS on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced neurotoxicity was examined using primary cultured rat cortical neurons in the present study. Exposure of cultured neurons to 100 μM H2O2 caused a significant neuronal death as assessed by a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Hoechst 33342 staining. The addition of CS, over a concentration range of 10 to 50μg/ml, concentration-dependently prevented the H2O2-induced neuronal apoptotic death. CS (50μg/ml) significantly inhibited H2O2-induced elevation of the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c), which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fluo-4 AM. CS (30 and 50μg/ml) inhibited glutamate release and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by 100μM H2O2. These results suggest that CS may mitigate the H2O2-induced neurotoxiciy by interfering with the increase of [Ca2+]c, and then inhibiting glutamate release and generation of ROS in cultured neurons.

This study was carried out to evaluate off-shore water quality and to draw marine pollution map to Southern sea in Korea by bioassay using gametes and early development system of Asterias amurensis. From the bioassay, it was determined that the water qualites of Southern sea maintained the grade Ⅱ, because development of A. amurensis were moderately inhibited. However, Sunchon, Kwangyang, and Jinhae Bay belonged to grade Ⅲ, because development of A. amurensis were strongly inhibited. This could be due to the inflows of several river systems and poor water circulation. The water quality at Yosu island was the grade I, because A. amurensis were not inhibited in its early development.