Abstract
Background
Chronic neuroinflammation (activation of microglia and astrocytes) is a prominent pathological process in many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Consequently, it has been suggested that drugs targeting neuroinflammatory processes such as cytokine-suppressive anti-inflammatory drugs (CSAIDs) such as apigenin (major bioactive compound in parsley) might yield clinically useful disease-modifying effect for these neurodegenerative disorders. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of apigenin on neuroinflammation in the glial fibrillary acidic protein-interleukin 6 (GFAP-IL6) expressing mouse using both immunohistochemical and behavioral tests.
Methods
After 4 months of treatment with apigenin, immunohistochemical staining with Iba-1 (a marker for activated microglia) and stereological counting were used analyze microglial numbers in the cerebellum and hippocampus. Spatial reference memory was analyzed using the Barnes maze test.
Results
Histological staining showed that apigenin decreased the number of activated microglia of GFAP-IL6 mice in the cerebellum and in the hippocampus by ~30% and ~25%. Apigenin also improved spatial reference working memory in the GFAP-IL6 mice.
Conclusion
Apigenin is a potent anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective drug and can be potentially used for neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.
Chronic neuroinflammation (activation of microglia and astrocytes) is a prominent pathological process in many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Consequently, it has been suggested that drugs targeting neuroinflammatory processes such as cytokine-suppressive anti-inflammatory drugs (CSAIDs) such as apigenin (major bioactive compound in parsley) might yield clinically useful disease-modifying effect for these neurodegenerative disorders. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of apigenin on neuroinflammation in the glial fibrillary acidic protein-interleukin 6 (GFAP-IL6) expressing mouse using both immunohistochemical and behavioral tests.
Methods
After 4 months of treatment with apigenin, immunohistochemical staining with Iba-1 (a marker for activated microglia) and stereological counting were used analyze microglial numbers in the cerebellum and hippocampus. Spatial reference memory was analyzed using the Barnes maze test.
Results
Histological staining showed that apigenin decreased the number of activated microglia of GFAP-IL6 mice in the cerebellum and in the hippocampus by ~30% and ~25%. Apigenin also improved spatial reference working memory in the GFAP-IL6 mice.
Conclusion
Apigenin is a potent anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective drug and can be potentially used for neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | S10 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Free Radical Biology and Medicine |
| Volume | 108 |
| Issue number | Supp1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2017 |
| Externally published | Yes |