Rosmarinic Acid, a Bioactive Phenolic Compound, Inhibits Glutamate Release from Rat Cerebrocortical Synaptosomes through GABA(A) Receptor Activation

Rosmarinic acid, a major component of rosemary, is a polyphenolic compound with potential neuroprotective effects. Asreducing the synaptic release of glutamate is crucial to achieving neuroprotectant’s pharmacotherapeutic effects, the effect of rosmarinic acid on glutamate release was investigated in rat cerebrocortical nerve terminals (synaptosomes). Rosmarinic acid depressed the 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-induced glutamate release in a concentration-dependent manner. The removal of extracellular calcium and the blockade of vesicular transporters prevented the inhibition of glutamate release by rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid reduced 4-AP-induced intrasynaptosomal Ca(2+) elevation. The inhibition of N-, P/Q-type Ca(2+) channels and the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) prevented rosmarinic acid from having effects on glutamate release. Rosmarinic acid also reduced the 4-AP-induced activation of CaMKII and the subsequent phosphorylation of synapsin I, the main presynaptic target of CaMKII. In addition, immunocytochemistry confirmed the presence of GABA(A) receptors. GABA(A) receptor agonist and antagonist blocked the inhibitory effect of rosmarinic acid on 4-AP-evoked glutamate release. Docking data also revealed that rosmarinic acid formed a hydrogen bond with the amino acid residues of GABA(A) receptor. These results suggested that rosmarinic acid activates GABA(A) receptors in cerebrocortical synaptosomes to decrease Ca(2+) influx and CaMKII/synapsin I pathway to inhibit the evoked glutamate release.