Eugenol protects neuronal cells from excitotoxic and oxidative injury in primary cortical cultures

We examined the neuroprotective efficacy of eugenol against N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-, oxygen-glucose deprivation-, and xanthine/xanthine oxidase-induced neurotoxicity in primary murine cortical cultures. Eugenol (100-300 mu M) attenuated NMDA (300 mu M)-induced acute neurotoxicity by 20-60%. At the same concentration range, eugenol also inhibited NMDA (300 mu M)-induced elevation in neuronal Ca-45(2+) uptake by 10-30%. In the oxygen-glucose deprivation (50 min) neurotoxicity, eugenol (100-300 mu M) prevented acute neuronal swelling and reduced neuronal death by 45-60% in a concentration-dependent fashion. Oxidative neuronal injury induced by xanthine/xanthine oxidase was also significantly reduced (75-90%) by eugenol (100-300 mu M) addition. These results suggest that eugenol may play a protective role against ischemic injury by modulating both NMDA receptor and superoxide radical. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.