[Protective effects and machanism of muskone on pheochromocytoma cell injure induced by glutamate].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of glutamate (Glu)-induced PC12 cell apoptosis and the protective effect of muscone. METHOD: PC12 cells were randomly divided into six groups: normal group (Normal), model group injured by glutamate (Glu), nimodipine group (Nim) and muskone groups (Mus) of high, middle and low doses. The PC12 cells were pretreated with or without different concentrations of muskone for 30 min and then exposed to glutamate. MTT assay for cell survival, flow cytometric detection of apoptotic cells, DCF assay for reactive oxygen species (ROS) and flow cytometric assay was performed to determine the mitochondrial membrane potential in PC12 cell. RESULT: PC12 cell damage, the concentrations of [Ca2+], and apoptosis induced by Glu were decreased after being administrated with paeoniflorin. CONCLUSION: Muskone inhibited Glu-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells. The mechanism is related to inhibiting intracellular Ca2+ overload and maintaining mitochondral membrance potential.