Protective Effects of Bacopa Monnieri on Hydrogen Peroxide and Staurosporine: Induced Damage of Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells.

Many herbs, and recently their biomass from in vitro cultures, are essential for the treatment of diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal growth of Bacopa monnieri (water hyssop) in an in vitro culture and to examine if extracts of the B. monnieri biomass from the in vitro culture would affect hydrogen peroxide- and staurosporine-induced injury of the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. It has been found that B. monnieri at concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL inhibited both hydrogen peroxide-induced efflux of lactate dehydrogenase from damaged cells to culture medium and increased cell viability determined by an MTT assay. Moreover, B. monnieri at concentrations of 10, 25, and 50 µg/mL decreased staurosporine-induced activity of an executive apoptotic enzyme-caspase-3 and protected mitochondrial membrane potential. The obtained data indicate that the biomass from the in vitro culture of B. monnieri prevented SH-SY5Y cell damage related to oxidative stress and had the ability to inhibit the apoptotic process. Thus, this study supports the traditional use of B. monnieri as a neuroprotective therapy, and further in vivo studies on the effects of this preparation on morphology and function of nerve cells could lead to its wider application.