Ethanol Extract of Three Plants of Curcuma longae Radix, Phellinus linteus, and Scutellariae Radix Inhibits Amyloid Protein (25-35)-Induced Neurotoxicity in Cultured Neurons and Memory Impairment in Mice

The present study investigated an ethanol extract (HS0608) of a mixture of three medicinal plants of Curcuma longae radix, Phellinus linteus, and Scutellariae radix for possible neuroprotective effects on neurotoxicity induced by amyloid $\beta$ protein ($A{\beta}$) (25-35) in cultured rat cortical neurons and antidementia activity in mice. Exposure of cultured cortical neurons to $10\;{\mu}M$ $A{\beta}$ (25-35) for 36 h induced neuronal apoptotic death. At $1-50\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, HS0608 inhibited neuronal death, elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$), and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by $A{\beta}$ (25-35) in primary cultures of rat cortical neurons. Memory loss induced by intracerebroventricular injection of ICR mice with 15 nmol $A{\beta}$ (25-35) was inhibited by chronic treatment with HS0608 (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o. for 7 days) as measured by a passive avoidance test. From these results, we suggest that the antidementia effect of HS0608 is due to its neuroprotective effect against $A{\beta}$ (25-35)-induced neurotoxicity and that HS0608 may have a therapeutic role in preventing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Curcuma longae Radix, Phellinus linteus 및 Scutellariae Radix 혼합추출물의 (25-35) 유도 배양신경세포독성 및 마우스기억손상 억제효과