The chalcone derivative Chana 1 protects against amyloid β peptide-induced oxidative stress and cognitive impairment

Int J Mol Med. 2012 Jul;30(1):193-8. doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2012.984. Epub 2012 Apr 25.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease to cause dementia in the elderly. Amyloid β (Aβ)-peptide induced oxidative stress causes the initiation and progression of AD. Recently, new chalcone derivatives termed the Chana series were synthesized. Among them, Chana 1 showed high free radical scavenging activity (72.5%), as measured by a DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay. In this study, we investigated the effect of Chana 1 against Aβ-induced cytotoxicity and cognitive deficits. Additionally, we sought to estimate the lethal dose, 50% (LD50) of Chana 1 in mice using an acute oral toxicity test. We found that Chana 1 significantly protected against Aβ-induced neuronal cell death in PC12 cells. Oral administration of Chana 1 at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight/day significantly improved Aβ-induced learning and memory impairment in mice, as measured in Y-maze and passive avoidance tests. In acute toxicity tests, the LD50 in mice was determined to be 520.44 mg/kg body weight. The data are valuable for future studies and suggest that Chana 1 has therapeutic potential for the management of neurodegenerative disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chalcone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Chalcones / pharmacology*
  • Chalcones / therapeutic use
  • Chalcones / toxicity
  • Cognition Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Male
  • Maze Learning
  • Memory Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology
  • Neuroprotective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Oximes / pharmacology*
  • Oximes / therapeutic use
  • Oximes / toxicity
  • PC12 Cells
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Chalcones
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Oximes
  • Chalcone