Effect of Rhizoma gastrodiae on oxidative stress in cultured mouse spinal motor neurons

To clarify the toxic effect of oxidative stress, hydrogen peroxide $(H_{2}O_{2})-induced$ neurotoxicity was examined in cultured newborn mouse spinal motor neurons after spinal motor neurons were grown in the media containing various concentrations of glucose oxidase (GO). And also, the protective effect of Rhizoma gastrodiae extract against GO-induced neurotoxicity was evaluated. Cytotoxicity was expressed as a cell viability by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In this study, exposure of motor neurons to GO-induced cell death significantly, in a dose- and time-dependent manners in spinal motor neuron cultures. The decrease in cell viability of motor neurons damaged by GO was proventioned by Rhizoma gastrodiae extract. These results suggest that the neuroprotective effect of Rhizoma gastrodiae extract on GO-induced neurotoxicity may result from a attenuation of $H_{2}O_{2}-induced$ oxidative stress.