Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Vine Flavone Ameliorates Glutamic Acid-Induced Neurotoxicity via MAPK Pathways

Glutamic acid (Glu) is a worldwide flavor enhancer with various positive effects. However, Glu-induced neurotoxicity has been reported less. Tetrastigma hemsleyanum (TH), a rare herbal plant in China, possesses high medicinal value. More studies paid attention to tuber of TH whereas vine part (THV) attracts fewer focus. In this study, we extracted and purified flavones from THV (THVF), and UPLC-TOF/MS showed THVF was consisted of 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside. In vitro, Glu caused severe cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative damage to rat phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Conversely, THVF attenuated Glu-induced toxicity via MAPK pathways. In vivo, the neurotoxicity triggered by Glu restrained the athletic ability in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The treatment of THVF reversed the situation induced by Glu. In a word, Glu could cause neurotoxicity and THVF owns potential neuroprotective effects both in vitro and in vivo via MAPK pathways.