Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly, which is pathologically characterized by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons. Compound preparations of Chinese medicines that can tonify the kidney have been reported to significantly improve symptoms of Parkinson's disease. However, the mechanism of action remains unclear. To investigate whether Chinese medicines that tonify the kidney can protect in vitro cultures of dopaminergic neurons, a recent study published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 30, 2013) showed that Chinese medicines used for tonifying the kidney, such as Herba Epimedii and Herba Cistanches, can protect nerve cells by regulating the expression of apoptosis-related factors and neurotrophic factors.
Under an inverted microscope, there were a large amount of MES23.5 cells in logarithmic growth phase.
(Photo Credit: Neural Regeneration Research)
Source: Neural Regeneration Research