Protective effects of butein on corticosterone-induced cytotoxicity in Neuro2A cells.

A functional understanding of the relationship between glucocorticoids and neuronal apoptosis induced by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may lead to a novel strategy for the treatment or prevention of depression. Previous reports suggest that butein, a type of flavonoids, may be a potent candidate against depression-related neuronal cell apoptosis caused by oxidative stress; however, the protective effects of butein on damaged corticosterone (CORT)-treated neuronal cells has not been elucidated. In the present study, we examined the protective effect of butein on CORT-induced cytotoxicity and neurite growth during cell differentiation of mouse neuroblastoma Neuro2A (N2A) cells.