Brazilian Green Propolis Protects against Retinal Damage In Vitro and In Vivo. Issue 1 (2006)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Inokuchi, Yuta; Shimazawa, Masamitsu; Nakajima, Yoshimi; Suemori, Shinsuke; Mishima, Satoshi; Hara, Hideaki
• Is Part Of: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. Volume 3:Issue 1(2006)
• Page Start: 71
• Page End: 77
• Publication Date: 2006
• Subjects: apoptosis; lipid peroxidation; NMDA; retinal damage; retinal ganglion cell; Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; 615.505
• DOI: 10.1093/ecam/nek005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-427X

Abstract

Abstract : Propolis, a honeybee product, has gained popularity as a food and alternative medicine. Its constituents have been shown to exert pharmacological (anticancer, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory) effects. We investigated whether Brazilian green propolis exerts neuroprotective effects in the retina in vitro and/or in vivo . In vitro, retinal damage was induced by 24 h hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure, and cell viability was measured by Hoechst 33342 and YO-PRO-1 staining or by a resazurin–reduction assay. Propolis inhibited the neurotoxicity and apoptosis induced in cultured retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5, a rat ganglion cell line transformed using E1A virus) by 24 h H2O2 exposure. Propolis also inhibited the neurotoxicity induced in RGC-5 cultures by staurosporine. Regarding the possible underlying mechanism, in pig retina homogenates propolis protected against oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation), as also did trolox (water-soluble vitamin E). In mice in vivo, propolis (100 mg kg−1; intraperitoneally administered four times) reduced the retinal damage (decrease in retinal ganglion cells and in thickness of inner plexiform layer) induced by intravitreal in vivo N -methyl- d -aspartate injection. These findings indicate that Brazilian green propolis has neuroprotective effects against retinal damage both in vitro and in vivo, and that a propolis-induced inhibition of oxidative stress may be partly responsible for these neuroprotective effects.