Neuroprotection by Skimmianine in Lipopolysaccharide-Activated BV-2 Microglia.

Skimmianine is a furoquinoline alkaloid which is found in the genus and also in other plants of the Rutaceae family. This study evaluated the effects of skimmianine on the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in LPS-activated BV-2 microglia. Cultured BV-2 cells were treated with skimmianine (10, 20 and 30 μM), followed by stimulation with LPS (100 ng/mL).

Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides inhibits lipopolysaccharide- and synthetic hemozoin-induced neuroinflammation in BV-2 microglia: roles of NF-κB transcription factor and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Objectives: The effects of a root extract of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides on neuroinflammation in BV-2 microglia stimulated with LPS and hemozoin were investigated.

Methods: ELISA, enzyme immunoassay and Griess assay were used to evaluate levels of cytokines, PGE2 and NO in culture supernatants, respectively. Microglia-mediated neurotoxicity was evaluated using a BV-2 microglia-HT-22 neuron transwell co-culture.

AMPK and SIRT1 activation contribute to inhibition of neuroinflammation by thymoquinone in BV2 microglia.

Thymoquinone is a known inhibitor of neuroinflammation. However, the mechanism(s) involved in its action remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the roles of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in the anti-neuroinflammatory activity of thymoquinone.