[Effects of beta-asarone on morphology and cell viability in PC12 cells and cultured rat cortical neurons].

Objective: To observe the effects of beta-asarone on the morphology and cell viability in PC12 cells and cultured neonate rat cortical neurons.

Methods: The cultured neonate rat cortical neurocytes were stained immunocytochemically with NSE, GFAP antibodies, respectively; Morphological changes were observed under phase contrast microscope after PC12 cells and cultured rat cortical neurons with beta-asarone of different concentrationfor 24h in vitro, and the cell viability of PC12 and cortical neurons were examined by MTT assay.

Results: Most of the cultured neonate rat cortical neurocytes were positively stained with NSE antibody, and positively with GFAP in a less degree; Treatment of PC12 cells with concentrations of 7.5, 15, 30, 60 microg/ml beta-asarone for 24 h could facilitate the proliferation in PC12 cells, 120, 240, 480 microg/ml beta-asarone could inhibit the proliferation inversely, and with the concentration of beta-asarone increasing, the inhibition was enhanced; Treatment of cultured neonate rat cortical neurons with concentrations of 7.5, 15, 30, 60,120 nicrog/ml beta-asarone for 24 h, there were no visible effects on morphology and cell viability, 240 microg/ml beta-asarone could facilitate the proliferation obviously, but 480 microg/ml beta-asarone induced injury on neurons.

Conclusion: beta-asarone maybe has anti-tumor and protective effects on cultured neurons.