Gastrodin Protects Apoptotic Dopaminergic Neurons in a Toxin-Induced Parkinson’s Disease Model

Figure 3

Protective effects of gastrodin against MPTP in the mouse substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpC) and striatum. Gastrodin was administered for 15 days at the respective doses, and MPTP was administered for the last 5 days of gastrodin treatment. All groups except the vehicle group received injections of 30 mg/kg/day MPTP for 5 days. Mice were anesthetized for the immunohistochemical study 7 days after MPTP intoxication and after performing the behavioral experiment. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) were performed in the SNpC and striatum (a). Gastrodin protected against changes in TH and GFAP expression in the SNpC ((b) and (d)) and striatum ((c) and (e)) after MPTP intoxication. TH and GFAP protein levels in the SNpC and striatum were assessed by Western blot analysis. Bar graphs show quantitative data for TH and GFAP signals that are normalized to the β-actin signal (𝑛 = 4-5 per group). Values are mean ± standard error (^##𝑃<0.01, ^###𝑃<0.001 versus vehicle group) and (^∗𝑃<0.05, ^∗∗𝑃<0.01, and ^∗∗∗𝑃<0.001 versus MPTP group).

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