• Yafei Zhu, Qipeng Zhao, Hua Gao, Xiaodong Peng, Youmin Wen, and Guidong Dai.
• Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli Street, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, PR China; Key laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, PR China.
• J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Sep 15; 191: 125-134.

Ethnopharmacological RelevanceLycium barbarum L., popularly known as "Goji berry", a classic of Traditional Chinese Medicine has long been used to treat ocular diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Recently, the photoreceptor cell protection of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP), a water extract from Lycium barbarum L. has received more attention. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of LBP on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced photoreceptor cell apoptosis, and the involvement of the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase.Materials And MethodsPhotoreceptor cell injury was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by an intraperitoneal injection of MNU 60mg/kg. Seven days prior to MNU injection, LBP were intragastrical administered daily, rats were sacrificed at 24h and 7 days after MNU injection. Retinal morphologies, photoreceptor cells apoptosis, and protein expression were evaluated at 24h and 7 days after MNU injection.ResultsMorphologically, the outer nuclear layer was well preserved in the LBP-treated rat retinas throughout the experimental period. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-digoxigenin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays showed that LBP could significantly suppress the loss of photoreceptor cells, as determined by the photoreceptor cell ratio at the central retina 24h and 7 days after MNU administration. Western-blot analysis demonstrated the expression levels of procaspase-9, -7, -3 and cleaved caspase-9, -7, -3 were upregulated, and PARP were downregulated both 24h and 7 days after MNU injection. LBP treatment significantly decreased protein levels of procaspase and cleaved caspase, increased the level of PARP and cleaved PARP on 24h and 7 days.ConclusionsLBP inhibits MNU-induced rat photoreceptor cell apoptosis and protects retinal structure via the regulation of the expressions of PARP and caspase.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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