Protective effect of a sesamin derivative, 3-bis (3-methoxybenzyl) butane-1, 4-diol on Aβ-stressed PC12 cells.

Amyloid beta-protein (Aβ) is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ induces free radical production in neuronal cells, leading to oxidative stress and up-regulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways and pro-apoptotic Bax expression. Sesamin has been shown to have protection to several models of neurodegenerative diseases by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.