Search

Excessive nitric oxide (NO) causes extensive damage to the nervous system, and the adrenergic system is disordered in many neuropsychiatric diseases. However, the role of the adrenergic system in protection of the nervous system against sodium nitroprusside (SNP) injury remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of ganoderic acid A (GA A) against SNP injury in neural cells and the role of adrenergic receptors in GA A neuroprotection. We found that SNP (0.125-2 mM) dose-dependently decreased the viability of both SH-SY5Y and PC12 cells and markedly increased NO contents. Pretreatment with GA A (10 μM) significantly attenuated SNP-induced cytotoxicity and NO increase in SH-SY5Y cells, but not in PC12 cells. Furthermore, pretreatment with GA A caused significantly higher adrenaline content in SH-SY5Y cells than in PC12 cells. In order to elucidate the mechanism of GA A-protecting SH-SY5Y cells, we added adrenaline, phentolamine, metoprolol, or ICI 118551 1 h before GA A was added to the culture medium. We found that addition of adrenaline (10 μM) significantly improved GA A protection in PC12 cells. The addition of β1-adrenergic receptor antagonist metoprolol (10 μM) or β2-adrenergic receptor antagonist ICI 118551 (0.1 μM) blocked the protective effect of GA A, whereas the addition of α-adrenergic receptor antagonist phentolamine (0.1 μM) did not affect GA A protection in SH-SY5Y cells. These results suggest that β-adrenergic receptors play an important role in the protection of GA A in SH-SY5Y cells against SNP injuries, and excessive adrenaline system activation caused great damage to the nervous system.

Hui Zhang,1 Wen-Ting Tong,2 Chang-Rong Zhang,1 Jun-Long Li,1 Hao Meng,3 Hai-Gan Yang,3 Min Chen31The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical College, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Min ChenDepartment of Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No. 12 Ji-chang Road, Guangzhou 51000, Guangdong, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 203 659 1359Fax +86 203 659 1127Email wiiiiiki@gmail.comObjective: To investigate the effect of gross saponins of Tribulus terrestris (GSTT) on erectile function in rats resulting from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DMED).Methods: The T2DMED model was constructed by high-fat and high-sugar feeding and streptozotocin injection. After 4 weeks of GSTT intervention. Intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured in each group. The level of nitric oxide (NO) in the cavernous tissue was detected using the nitrate reductase method. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected using DHE fluorescent probe detection. Cyclic adenosinemonophosphate (cGMP) level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and endothelial nitricoxide synthase (eNOS) was detected using immunohistochemistry. Masson staining was used to detect the cavernosal smooth muscle/collagen ratio. Apoptosis in endothelial cells was measured using TUNEL. Western blotting method to detect the protein expression level of eNOS, TIMP-1, cleaved caspase 3, and cleaved caspase 9.Results: After treatment, the ICP and ICP/MAP values of the GSTT were significantly higher than those of the T2DMED group (P0.05), and the mixed group had higher levels than these two groups (P