Protodioscin, a major steroidal saponin in dioscoreae rhizome, has been shown to exhibit multiple biological actions, such as anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-cancer, sexual effects and cardiovascular properties. Protodioscin is able to stimulate testosterone production and it also has an androgen-mimetic action, binding and activating the testosterone receptors.
Protodioscin, a major steroidal saponin in dioscoreae rhizome, has been shown to exhibit multiple biological actions, such as anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-cancer, sexual effects and cardiovascular properties. Protodioscin (5 and 10 mg/kg) significantly improves glucose intolerance and reduced the levels of serum UA, BUN, Cr, TC (serum uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglyceride) and TG. Protodioscin significantly reduces renal concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α by inhibiting the activation of nuclear factor-κB, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase[3]. PD (Protodioscin) inhibits cell viability, causes a loss of mitochondrial function, and induces apoptosis, as evidenced by up-regulation of caspase-8, -3, -9, -PARP, and Bax activation, and down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression. PD was shown to induce ROS and the ER stress pathway, including GRP78, p-eIF-2α, ATF4, and CHOP[4]. Protodioscin ameliorates the death rate, inhibits the increase in neurological deficit scores and infarct volume, and reduces the apoptotic nerve cells induced by MCAO (middle cerebral artery occlusion) in rats. Protodioscin attenuates the change of relevant apoptins, suppresses the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum and reverses the protein expression of NF-κB (in nucleus and cytoplasm) and IκBα (in cytoplasm) induced by MCAO in rats[5].
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