Neuroprotective roles of asiaticoside on hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells

This study aims to determine whether the neuroprotective role of asiaticoside at maximum non-toxic dose (MNTD) or half MNTD (½MNTD) on H2O2-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells was mediated by regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) through inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1). The levels of ROS, NO, iNOS and HO-1 in SH-SY5Y cells pre-treated with asiaticoside ½MNTD were significantly reduced by 15.3, 55.6, 24.8 and 6.7 %, respectively as compared to the H2O2 treatment group. Cells pre-treated MNTD only reduced the iNOS level significantly. Asiaticoside, particularly at ½MNTD reduced the ROS, NO and iNOS levels. Contrarily, the HO-1 expression was down-regulated when treated with asiaticoside, which further suggest that asiaticoisde exerted its neuroprotective effects via HO-1 regulation.Keywords: Asiaticoside; Heme-oxygenase 1; Inducible nitric oxide synthase; Nitric oxide; Reactive oxygen species