Shikonin Protects PC12 Cells Against β-amyloid Peptide-Induced Cell Injury Through Antioxidant and Antiapoptotic Activities

Excessive accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) is thought to be a major causative factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Pretreating Aβ-induced neurotoxicity is a potential therapeutic approach to ameliorate the progression and development of AD. The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of shikonin, a naphthoquinone pigment isolated from the roots of the traditional Chinese herb Lithospermum erythrorhizon, on Aβ(1–42)-treated neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. Pretreating cells with shikonin strongly improved cell viability, decreased the malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, and stabilized the mitochondrial membrane potential in Aβ(1–42)-induced PC12 cells. In addition, shikonin strongly improved the response of the antioxidant system to ROS by increasing the levels of superoxidedismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Furthermore, shikonin has the ability to reduce proapoptotic signaling by reducing the activity of caspase-3 and moderating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. These observations indicate that shikonin holds great potential for neuroprotection via inhibition of oxidative stress and cell apoptosis.