• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.454-459
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• 2004

The present study investigated the effects of gossypin, 3,3',4',5,7,8-hexahydroxyflavone 8-glucoside, on the toxicity induced by oxidative stress or $\beta$-amyloid ($A_{\beta}$) in primary cultured rat cortical cells. The antioxidant properties of gossypin were also evaluated by cell-free assays. Gossypin was found to inhibit the oxidative neuronal damage induced by xanthinelxanthine oxidase or by a glutathione depleting agent, D,L-buthionine (S,R)-sulfoximine. In addition, gossypin significantly attenuated the neurotoxicity induced by $A_{{\beta}(25-35)}$. Furthermore, gossypin dramatically inhibited lipid peroxidation initiated by $Fe^{2+}$ and ascorbic acid in rat brain homogenates. It also exhibited potent radical scavenging activity generated from 1 ,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. These results indicate that gossypin exerts neuroprotective effects in the cultured cortical cells by inhibiting oxidative stress- and $A_{\beta}$-induced toxicity, and that the antioxidant properties of gossypin may contribute to its neuroprotective actions.