The protective effects of vernicilignan A, a new flavonolignan isolated from Toxicodendron vernicifluum on SH-SY5Y cells against oxidative stress-induced injury.

In this study, a new flavonolignan vernicilignan A was isolated from Toxicodendron vernicifluum. The neuroprotective effects of this compound against H₂O₂ induced cell injury in SH-SY5Y cells were evaluated by MTT assay and LDH release assay. Vernicilignan A dose-dependently attenuated the cell injury and LDH release induced by H₂O₂ in SH-SY5Y cells. Further study indicated that vernicilignan A reduced cell apoptosis caused by H₂O₂ treatment via regulation of some apoptotic related proteins including Bax, Bcl-2, caspase 3 and caspase 9. Also, vernicilignan A increase the cell viability of H₂O₂ treated cells via the activation of Akt and GSK3β. Base on the findings, vernicilignan A exhibited neuroprotective effects through the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling and inhibition of mitochondria apoptosis pathway. Vernicilignan A might be a promising therapeutic agent for oxidative stress induced neurodegenerative diseases.