The Protective Effect of Different Extracts of Three Artemisia Species against H 2 O 2 -Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in PC12 Neuronal Cells.

Background: Oxidative stress causes cell damage and is involved in many neurological diseases. The antioxidant properties of plant materials for the maintenance of health and protecting against different diseases stimulated scientist to investigate different herbs. Different Artemisia species have exhibited antioxidant activity. This study aims to investigate whether different Artemisia species could protect the PC12 cells against oxidative stress mediated by H2 O2 .

Methods: For this purpose, different extracts of three Artemisia species ( Artemisia aucheri , Artemisia turanica , and Artemisia turcomanica ) were prepared using petroleum ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and Water: Ethanol mixture (1:1 volume ratio). The protective effect of the prepared extracts against H2 O2 -induced cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species production were compared. The effect of treatment of PC12 cells with different extracts on total glutathione (GSH) level, caspase-3 activity, and mitochondrial membrane potential were also compared.

Results: The A. aucheri extracts could not rescue the PC12 cells from oxidative stress consequences. The A. turanica and A. turcomanica extracts were found potent in suppressing the toxicity and apoptosis of PC12 cells mediated by H2 O2 and significantly antagonized the H2 O2 -induced GSH depletion. The hydroethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of A. turanica and the petroleum ether and hydroethanolic extracts of A. turcomanica more efficiently suppressed cytotoxicity and loss of GSH caused by H2 O2 .

Conclusion: This study shows the protective effects of Artemisia extracts on PC12 cell line and suggested that these species could be also considered as promising neuroprotective agents in treatment of different neurodegenerative diseases.

SUMMARY: Artemisia turanica and Artemisia turcomanica extracts were found to potentially exert neuroprotective effect on PC12 cells. The results exhibited that the cytoprotective potential and anti-apoptotic mechanism of these species is not the same for different extracts, and suggested that based on the type of species and the type of solvents used in extraction, both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways could be included in the anti-apoptotic mechanism of these species. Abbreviations Used: GSH: Glutathion. ROS: Reactive Oxygen Species. GSSG: Glutathione disulfide. DCF-DA:2',7'-Dichlorofluorescin diacetate. FBS: Fetal Bovin Serum. MMP: Mitochondrial Membrane Potential. H-Et: Hydro-ethanolic. DCM: Dichloromethane. PE: Petroleum Ether. Et: Etanolic. EA: Ethyl Acetate.