Moreover, it has been reported that oxyresveratrol may exert direct protective effects in the
brain by crossing the BBB and may prove an excellent complementary
drug for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders
that causally involve oxidative/nitrosative stress, especially
in stroke.21,22) However, it remains undemonstrated
whether oxyresveratrol exerts neuroprotection against Ab -induced
neuronal damage. In a recent study, we reported that
methanol extract of Smilacis chinae rhizome protected Ab
(25—35)-induced neuronal cell damage in cultured rat cortical
neurons.23) We isolated various active components including
oxyresveratrol, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, catechin and
epicatechin, to which Smilacis chinae rhizome-induced neuroprotection
might be attributable. The aim of the present study
was to investigate the neutoprotective effect of oxyresveratrol
derived from Smilacis chinae rhizome against Ab (25—35)-
induced neuronal death, and the underlying mechanism in
primary cultured rat cortical neurons.