Protective Effect of Magnolol Against Ceramide-induced Apoptosis in SK-N-SH cells / 체질인류학회지

ABSTRACT

Magnolol, isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia officnalis, is typical Oriental herbs. It has been known to have many biological activities such as anti-platelet aggregation, hydroxyl radical scavenging, Ca2+ -channel blocking, a tonic, anti-rheumatic, anti-stress, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer action and ischemic heart disease. But, it is still unclear how they effectively regulate their various biological properties. Ceramide is emerging as a second messenger of apoptotic cell death and there is increasing evidence that ceramide is involved in neurodegenerative disease and the process of senescence. The present study investigated the effect of Magnolol on ceramide-induced apoptosis in human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. We showed that ceramide induced apoptosis through the mediation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and Magnolol, as an effective antioxidant, significantly inhibited the increase of ROS generation, thereby preventing apoptosis. Furthermore, an increase of caspase activity (apoptosis executors) resulted from ceramide reduced by Magnolol. These results implicate that ROS play on important roles in ceramide-induced apoptosis, also Magnolol protects via effectively inhibition of ROS generation by ceramide through selective pathway.