Pu-Erh tea and GABA attenuates oxidative stress in kainic acid-induced status epilepticus

Background: pu-erh tea is one of the most-consumed beverages due to its taste and the anti-anxiety-producing effect of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (gaba) if contains. however the protective effects of pu-erh tea and its constituent,gaba to kainic acid (ka)-induced seizure have not been fully investigated. methods. we analyzed the effect of pu-erh tea leaf (petl) and gaba on ka-induced neuronal injury in vivo and in vitro. results: petl and gaba reduced the maximal seizure classes,predominant behavioral seizure patterns,and lipid peroxidation in male fvb mice with status epilepticus. petl extracts and gaba were effective in protecting ka-treated pc12 cells in a dose-dependent manner and they decreased ca2+ release,ros production and lipid peroxidation from ka-stressed pc12 cells. western blot results revealed that mitogen-activated protein kinases (mapks),rhoa and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (cox-2) expression were increased in pc12 cells under ka stress,and petl and gaba significantly reduced cox-2 and p38 mapk expression,but not that of rhoa. furthermore,petl and gaba reduced pge2production from ka-induced pc12 cells. conclusions: taken together,petl and gaba have neuroprotective effects against excitotoxins that may have clinical applications in epilepsy. © 2011 hou; licensee biomed central ltd.