Neuroprotection by chotosan, a Kampo formula, against glutamate excitotoxicity involves the inhibition of GluN2B-, but not GluN2A-containing NMDA receptor-mediated responses in primary cultured cortical neurons.

Abstract

Chotosan (CTS), a traditional herbal formula called Kampo medicine, was shown to be effective in the treatment of vascular dementia in a clinical study, and exerted protective effects against transient cerebral ischemia-induced cognitive impairment in mice. In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of CTS using primary cultured rat cortical neurons. CTS (250-1000 μg/mL) inhibited neuronal death induced by 100 μM glutamate. This glutamate-induced neuronal death was blocked by a GluN2B-, but not GluN2A-containing NMDA receptor antagonist. Therefore, the neuroprotective effects of CTS were related to an inhibition of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptor-mediated responses.

• Authors: Sachie Sasaki-Hamada, Azusa Suzuki, Emi Sanai, Kinzo Matsumoto, Jun-Ichiro Oka
• Journal: Journal of pharmacological sciences (J Pharmacol Sci) Vol. 135 Issue 3 Pg. 134-137 (Nov 2017) ISSN: 1347-8648 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 29146480 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• NR2B NMDA receptor
• Neuroprotective Agents
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
• Glutamic Acid
• Chitosan
• N-methyl D-aspartate receptor subtype 2A

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Death (drug effects)
• Cells, Cultured
• Chitosan (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cognitive Dysfunction (drug therapy, etiology)
• Dementia, Vascular (drug therapy)
• Glutamic Acid (toxicity)
• Ischemic Attack, Transient (complications)
• Medicine, Kampo
• Mice
• Neurons (drug effects, pathology)
• Neuroprotective Agents
• Phytotherapy
• Rats, Wistar
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (antagonists & inhibitors)