Protective effect and its molecular mechanism of gross saponin tribulus terrestris on apoptosis of PC12 cells

Aim To investigate the protective effect of gross saponin tribulus terrestris(GSTT) on the apoptosis of PC12 cells was induced by H2O2 and its mechanism.Methods Apoptosis of PC12 cells was induced by H2O2 at the concentration of 300 μmol·L-1.The cell activity was determined by MTT.Cells were observed by inverted phase contrast microscope.Hochest33258 staining was detected by fluorescence microscope.The subdiploid peaks showing cell apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry.Protein of Bcl-2 and Bax was detected by Western blot.Results Compared with model group,the survival rate of PC12 cells increased (P0.01),apoptosis cells and the apoptotic rate and protein expression of Bax decreased(P0.01),and protein expression of Bcl-2 increased with the rise of GSTT dose(P0.05).Conclusion GSTT could inhibit the apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by H2O2 which might be correlated with the inhibition of apoptosis in the path of mitochondrion and influence the expression of the apoptosis protein.