Korean Journal of Agricultural Science ISSN:2466-2402(Print) 2466-2410(Online) 농업과학연구

The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of Coreopsis lanceolata extract against hydrogen-peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative damage and cell death in pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethylbebzothiazoloine-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activities, as well as the expression levels of proteins associated with oxidative damage and cell death were investigated. According to the results, C. lanceolata extract exhibited inhibitory activity against intracellular ROS generation and cell-damaging effects induced by hydroxyl radicals in a dose-dependent manner. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were 22.3 mg·g-1 gallic acid equivalent and 16.2 mg·g-1 catechin equivalent, respectively. Additionally, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay based on the internal standard method used to detect phenolic compounds. The phenolic compounds identified in C. lanceolata extract contained (+)-catechin hydrate (5.0 ± 0.0 mg·g-1), ferulic acid (1.6 ± 0.0 mg·g-1), chlorogenic acid (1.5 ± 0.0 mg·g-1), caffeic acid (1.2 ± 0.0 mg·g-1), naringin (0.9 ± 0.0 mg·g-1), and p-coumaric acid (0.5 ± 0.0 mg·g-1). C. lanceolata extract attenuated pro-apoptotic Bax expression levels and enhanced the expression levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, caspase-3, and caspase-9 proteins. Therefore, C. lanceolata is a potential source of materials with neuroprotective properties against neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.