Aucubin, a compound found in eucommia, can treat epilepsy-related neuronal damage

Researchers at the Central South University in China examined the potential protective effects of aucubin, a compound found in eucommia (Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.), on neurons against epilepsy in the hippocampus using a rat model. Their findings were published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine.

• Eucommia is a common traditional Chinese medicine that has antioxidative and neuroprotective effects.
• Aucubin is the main component of eucommia.
• For the study, the researchers induced status epilepticus in rats by administering lithium-pilocarpine.
• Before the administration of lithium-pilocarpine, they pretreated the rats with 5 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg, low dose) and 10 mg/kg (high dose) of aucubin for two weeks.
• Pretreatment with both doses of aucubin dramatically reduced the number of dead neurons and increased the number of surviving neurons in the hippocampus of rats after status epilepticus induction.
• Both doses also inhibited necroptosis proteins and enhanced autophagy protein prevalence in the hippocampus.
• These results suggest that aucubin can reduce the damage caused by status epilepticus by inducing autophagy and inhibiting inflammatory cell death.

The researchers concluded that aucubin can potentially be used in the treatment or prevention of epilepsy-related neuronal damages.

Visit ChineseMedicine.news for more studies on neuroprotective compounds found in Chinese medicine.

Journal Reference:

Wang J, Li Y, Huang WH, Zeng XC, Li XH, Li J, Zhou J, Xiao J, Xiao B, Ouyang DS, Hu K. THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AUCUBIN FROM EUCOMMIA ULMOIDES AGAINST STATUS EPILEPTICUS BY INDUCING AUTOPHAGY AND INHIBITING NECROPTOSIS. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 7 April 2017;45(03):557-573. DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X17500331