Protective Effects of Paeoniflorin Against Corticosterone‐induced Neurotoxicity in PC12 Cells

Neuroprotection has been proposed as one of the acting mechanisms of antidepressants. Paeoniflorin, a monoterpene glycoside, has been reported to display antidepressant‐like effects in animal models of behavioural despair. The present study aimed to examine the protective effect of paeoniflorin treatment on corticosterone‐induced neurotoxicity in cultured rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Paeoniflorin was shown to elevate cell viability, decrease levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in corticosterone‐treated PC12 cells. Paeoniflorin also reversed the reduced nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA level caused by corticosterone in PC12 cells. The results suggest that paeoniflorin exerts a neuroprotective effect on corticosterone‐induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells, at least in part, via the inhibition of oxidative stress and the up‐regulation of NGF expression. This neuroprotective effect may be one of the action pathways that accounts for the in vivo antidepressant activity of paeoniflorin. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.