Planta Med 2009; 75(14): 1489-1493
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1185776
Pharmacology
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Estrogenic and Neuroprotective Properties of Scutellarin from Erigeron breviscapus: A Drug against Postmenopausal Symptoms and Alzheimer's Disease

Judy T. T. Zhu1 , Roy C. Y. Choi1 , Jun Li1 , Heidi Q. H. Xie1 , Cathy W. C. Bi1 , Anna W. H. Cheung1 , Tina T. X. Dong1 , Zhi Y. Jiang2 , Ji J. Chen2 , Karl W. K. Tsim1
  • 1Department of Biology and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, P. R. China
  • 2State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, P. R. China
Further Information

Publication History

received Dec. 11, 2008 revised April 28, 2009

accepted April 29, 2009

Publication Date:
16 June 2009 (online)

Abstract

Besides the classical hormonal effect, estrogen possesses neuroprotective effects in the brain, which leads to the searching of novel treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Scutellarin is a major flavone derived from Herba Erigerontis, a Chinese medicine derived from Erigeron breviscapus, which has been shown here to possess both estrogenic and neuroprotective properties. Scutellarin showed the estrogenic effects by activating the estrogen responsive elements and phosphorylation of estrogen receptor α in cultured MCF-7 cells: the activation was in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, scutellarin inhibited the aggregation of β-amyloid in vitro, and prevented the cell death mediated by β-amyloid when applied to cultured neuronal PC12 cells. These results therefore suggested that Herba Erigerontis and its component scutellarin might have therapeutic effects against postmenopausal symptoms and Alzheimer's disease.

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Prof. Dr. Karl W. K. Tsim

Department of Biology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Clear Water Bay Road

Hong Kong

People's Republic of China

Phone: + 8 52 23 58 73 32

Fax: + 8 52 23 58 15 59

Email: botsim@ust.hk

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