Neuroprotective Effects of Asiatic Acid on Autophagy and Mitochondrial Integrity in a Parkinson’s Disease Cellular Model

Oct 7, 2025Journal of experimental pharmacology

Asiatic Acid May Protect Brain Cells by Supporting Cell Cleanup and Energy Structures in a Parkinson's Disease Model

AI simplified

Longevity & Aging on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Abstract

Pretreating dopaminergic neuron-like cells with asiatic acid (AA) increased the expression of LC3-II/I and Beclin-1 while improving cell viability.

AA treatment prior to exposure to a neurotoxin led to significantly higher levels of markers LC3-II/I and Beclin-1.
The expression of the protein SQSTM1/p62 was slightly reduced in cells pretreated with AA compared to untreated cells.
Cells pretreated with AA showed significantly improved viability and expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, indicating enhanced neuronal health.
Lower levels of apoptosis were observed in AA-pretreated cells, with significantly reduced caspase-3/7 activity and fewer apoptotic nuclei.
Mitochondrial morphology improved in AA-pretreated cells, exhibiting tubular structures and significantly higher .

AI simplified

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. PD patients mostly exhibit mitochondrial dysfunction and autophagic impairment. Asiatic acid (AA) is a triterpenoid with the highest antioxidant activity used to treat oxidative stress. It has been found to have a neuroprotective effect against mitochondrial dysfunction in cellular models of PD; however, its effect on has not been investigated.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether AA affects autophagy in a cellular model of PD.

METHODS: SH-SY5Y cells were differentiated into dopaminergic neuron-like cells via retinoic acid administration. Differentiated cells were treated with AA for 24 h and then exposed to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP). Cell viability was assessed using a 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II/I, Beclin-1, sequestosome-1/ubiquitin-binding protein p62 (SQSTM1/p62), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was analyzed via Western blot. Caspase-3/7 and LC3 expression was measured using immunofluorescence, as was the colocalization of LC3 and mitochondria. MitoTracker and JC-10 were used to assess the mitochondrial morphology and (ΔΨ), respectively. + m

RESULTS: Pretreating cells with AA before MPPexposure resulted in significantly higher expression of LC3-II/I and Beclin-1, while the expression of SQSTM1/p62 was slightly lower compared to that in cells not pretreated with AA. Cells pretreated with AA exhibited significantly higher viability and TH expression, but significantly lower caspase-3/7 expression and numbers of apoptotic nuclei compared to cells treated with MPPalone. Notably, pretreatment with AA resulted in tubular mitochondria with considerably higher ΔΨvalues. The colocalization of LC3 and mitochondria was also significantly higher in the cells pretreated with AA. + + m

CONCLUSION: AA protected dopaminergic neuron-like cells against MPP-induced apoptosis via the induction of autophagy and the enhancement of mitochondrial function, suggesting that it could be developed as a therapeutic agent for PD. +

Key numbers

81.90%

Increase in Cell Viability

Viability of cells treated with 10 nM before MPP exposure.

significantly higher

Higher

Comparison of markers in -pretreated vs. MPP-only treated cells.

lower

Decrease in Apoptotic Activity

Caspase-3/7 activity in -pretreated cells compared to MPP-treated cells.

Full Text

We can’t show the full text here under this license. Use the link below to read it at the source.

View full text (PDF) ↗

Neuroprotective Effects of Asiatic Acid on Autophagy and Mitochondrial Integrity in a Parkinson’s Disease Cellular Model

Abstract

Key numbers

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the longevity & aging brief

Abstract

Key numbers

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the longevity & aging brief