Neuroprotective effects of butterbur and rough aster against kainic acid-induced oxidative stress in mice

The separate and combined neuroprotective effects of rough aster (Aster scaber) and butterbur (Petasite japonicus) extracts against oxidative damage in the brain of mice challenged with kainic acid were examined by comparing behavioral changes and biochemical parameters of oxidative stress. Rough aster butanol extract (400 mg/kg) and/or butterbur butanol extract (150 or 400 mg/kg) were administered to male ICR mice, 6-8 weeks old, through a gavage for 4 days consecutively, and on day 4, kainic acid (50 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally. Compared with the vehicle-treated control, no significant changes in body and brain weight were observed in mice administered rough aster or butterbur butanol extract. Administration of kainic acid only, causing a lethality of approximately 54%, resulted in a significant decrease of total glutathione level and increase of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) value in brain tissue. The administration of butterbur or rough aster extract (400 mg/kg) decreased the lethality (50%) of kainic acid to 25%, alleviated the behavioral signs of neurotoxicity, restored the cytosolic glutathione level of brain homogenate to approximately 80% (P < .05), and reduced kainic acid-induced increases in TBARS values. In contrast to no significant neuroprotection by butterbur extract at a low dose (150 rng/kg), the combination of rough aster extract and butterbur extract reduced the lethality to 12.5%. Moreover, the combination delayed the onset time of behavioral signs by twofold, and significantly preserved the level of cytosolic glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities. However, the other biochemical parameters were not altered significantly by the combination. Thus, the combination of two vegetable extracts significantly increased the neuroprotective action against kainic acid-induced neurotoxicity. Based on these findings, the combination of butterbur extract and rough aster extract contains a functional agent or agents that protect against oxidative stress in the brain of mice.