Underlying mechanism of protection from hypoxic injury seen with n-butanol extract of Potentilla anserine L. in hippocampal neurons☆

The alcohol and n-butanol extract of Potentilla anserine L. significantly protects myocardium from acute ischemic injury. However, its effects on rat hippocampal neurons and the mechanism of protection remain unclear. In this study, primary cultured hippocampal neurons from neonatal rats were incubated in 95% N(2) and 5% CO(2) for 4 hours. Results indicated that hypoxic injury decreased the viability of neurons, increased the expression levels of caspase-9 and caspase-3 mRNA, as well as cytochrome c, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3 protein. Pretreatment with 0.25, 0.062 5, 0.015 6 mg/mL n-butanol extract of Potentilla anserine L. led to a significant increase in cell viability. Expression levels of caspase-9 and caspase-3 mRNA, as well as cytochrome c, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3 protein, were attenuated. The neuroprotective effect of n-butanol extract of Potentilla anserine L. was equivalent to tanshinone IIA. Our data suggest that the n-butanol extract of Potentilla anserine L. could protect primary hippocampal neurons from hypoxic injury by deactivating mitochondrial cell death.