Ricerc@Sapienza

Harpagophytum procumbens is a plant species that displays anti-inflammatory properties in multiple tissues. The
iridoid glycosides arpagoside, harpagide, and procumbide appear to be the most therapeutically important
constituents. In addition, harpagoside treatment exerted neuroprotective effects both in vitro and in vivo.
Considering these findings, the aim of the present work is to explore the possible protective role of the previously
described microwave-assisted aqueous extract of H. procumbens on rat hypothalamic (Hypo-E22) cells, and in
rat cortex challenged with amyloid ?-peptide (1–40). In this context, we assayed the protective effects induced
by H. procumbens by measuring the levels of malondialdehyde, 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), brain-derived
neurotrophic factor, and tumor necrosis factor-?, 3-HK. Finally, we evaluated the effects of H. procumbens
treatment on cortex levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. H. procumbens extract was well
tolerated by Hypo-E22 cells and upregulated brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene expression but downregulated
tumor necrosis factor-? gene expression. In addition, the extract reduced amyloid ?-peptide stimulation
of malondialdehyde and 3-HK and blunted the decrease of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, in the
cortex. In this context, our work supports further studies for the evaluation and confirmation of Harpagophytum
in the management of the clinical symptoms related to Alzheimer’s disease.