Moltkia coerulea extracts alleviate caspase-3 activity via reducing oxidative stress in LPS-induced neurotoxicity in
Aslı Can Ağca1, Derya Altay2, Hüdaverdi Kul3
1Department of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Institute of Public Health, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkiye.
Background/Aim:
Moltkia coerulea, a medicinal plant traditionally used for its neuroprotective properties, contains diverse phenolic compounds. However, its mechanisms of action in neuroinflammation remain unclear. We hypothesized that extracts of M. coerulea may protect microglial cells from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis by modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase-3 activity.
Materials And Methods:
Aqueous and methanol extracts (5-50 μg/mL) were tested in BV-2 microglial cells. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay, while ROS generation and caspase-3 activity were measured using fluorescence-based kits. The effective concentration (10 μg/mL) was selected for mechanistic assays based on viability data and previous studies. The phenolic profile of the plant extracts was determined by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).
Results:
Both extracts improved cell survival, reduced ROS levels, and attenuated caspase-3 activation in LPS-treated BV-2 cells. LC/MS/MS analysis identified chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, vanillin, and rutin as predominant in the methanolic extract, while chlorogenic acid and rutin were most abundant in the aqueous extract; all are associated with antioxidant and antiapoptotic potential.
Conclusion:
M. coerulea extracts alleviated LPS-induced apoptosis in BV-2 cells by reducing oxidative stress and caspase-3 activity. These findings suggest a potential neuroprotective role of phenolic compounds present in M. coerulea that may translate into beneficial effects in animal models and warrant further preclinical evaluation.
