A strong protective action of Guttiferone-A,a naturally occurring prenylated benzophenone,against iron-induced neuronal cell damage

Guttiferone-a (ga) is a natural occurring polyisoprenylated benzophenone with several reported pharmacological actions. we have assessed the protective action of ga on iron-induced neuronal cell damage by employing the pc12 cell line and primary culture of rat cortical neurons (pcrcn). a strong protection by ga,assessed by the 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2h-tetrazolium-5- carbox-anilide (xtt) assay,was revealed,with ic50 values <1 μm. ga also inhibited fe3+-ascorbate reduction,iron-induced oxidative degradation of 2-deoxiribose,and iron-induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate,as well as stimulated oxygen consumption by fe 2+ autoxidation. absorption spectra and cyclic voltammograms of ga-fe2+/fe3+ complexes suggest the formation of a transient charge transfer complex between fe2+ and ga,accelerating fe2+ oxidation. the more stable fe3+ complex with ga would be unable to participate in fenton-haber weiss-type reactions and the propagation phase of lipid peroxidation. the results show a potential of ga against neuronal diseases associated with iron-induced oxidative stress. © the japanese pharmacological society.