Neuroprotective activities of anti-inflammatory herbal extract in an α-synuclein model of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's Disease is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative process, and the pathology of his disease is associated with the accumulation of the cytoplasmic structures called Lewy bodies with their main constituent of alpha-synuclein oligomers. The focus of current treatment methodologies is to increase dopamine level, and there is no existing drug to protect neurons and prevent disease progress. Due to that, discovering treatment studies which target associated mechanisms such as alpha-synuclein expression stand as an important topic to be worked on. At this point, it is thought that components which are rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics, stand as strong barriers against the progression of the disease. Sambucus ebulus L., Fraxinus ornus L. subsp. ornus L. and Ecballium elaterium (L.) A.Rich., subjected to pharmacognostic studies due to their high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. The goal of this research is to examine the effect of the extracts of S. ebulus, F. ornus subsp. ornus and E. elaterium on the toxicity induced by rotenone or A-53T- α-syn plasmid. After the treatment, the change in expression and its effect on the cell line is analyzed. The cell viability analysis was conducted through xCELLigence. When examine the protective effect of S. ebulus, F. ornus subsp. ornus and E. elaterium extract on rotenone toxicity, only F. ornus subsp. ornus cortex extract improved the decrease in cell line induced by rotenone toxicity. Like rotenone toxicity model, F. ornus subsp. ornus cortex extract improved the decrease in cell line induced by transfection toxicity. Considering the results of treatment with F. ornus subsp. ornus cortex extract which was protective and decreased cell death induced by rotenone and transfection, we can easily say that F. ornus subsp. ornus cortex extract is a potential agent in developing therapies for treating PD.