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

Figure 4

Effects of gastrodin on Bax and Bcl-2 mRNA expression and caspase-3 activity in SH-SY5Y cells and animal tissue treated with MPTP. Bax and Bcl-2 levels were quantified in SH-SY5Y cells by densitometric analysis (a) and in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpC) (c) and striatum (d) with their respective Bax/Bcl-2 ratios. Gastrodin inhibited the MPP⁺- and MPTP-induced increase in caspase-3 activity in SH-SY5Y cells (b), SNpC (e), and striatum (f), respectively. Data are from three independent experiments performed in triplicate. Values are mean ± standard error (^###𝑃<0.001 versus vehicle group) and (^∗𝑃<0.05, ^∗∗𝑃<0.01, and ^∗∗∗𝑃<0.001 versus MPP⁺/MPTP group).

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