Oxidative injury has been implicated in the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Gypenosides (GPs), the saponins extract derived from the Gynostemma pentaphyllum, has various bioactivities. In this study, GPs was investigated for its neuroprotective effects on the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP(+))-induced oxidative injury of dopaminergic neurons in primary nigral culture. It was found that GPs pretreatment, cotreatment or posttreatment significantly and dose-dependently attenuated MPP(+)-induced oxidative damage, reduction of dopamine uptake, loss of tyrosine hydrolase (TH)-immunopositive neurons and degeneration of TH-immunopositive neurites. However, the preventive effect of GPs was more potential than its therapeutical effect. Most importantly, the neuroprotective effect of GPs may be attributed to GPs-induced strengthened antioxidation as manifested by significantly increased glutathione content and enhanced activity of glutathione peroxidase, catalyze and superoxide dismutase in nigral culture. The neuroprotective effects of GPs are specific for dopaminergic neurons and it may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of PD.
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