Caffeic acid, tyrosol and p-coumaric acid are potent inhibitors of 5-S-cysteinyl-dopamine induced neurotoxicity

David Vauzour, Giulia Corona, Jeremy P E Spencer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Parkinson's disease is characterized by a progressive and selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Recent investigations have shown that conjugates such as the 5-S-cysteinyl-dopamine, possess strong neurotoxicity and may contribute to the underlying progression of the disease pathology. Although the neuroprotective actions of flavonoids are well reported, that of hydroxycinnamates and other phenolic acids is less established. We show that the hydroxycinnamates caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid, the hydroxyphenethyl alcohol, tyrosol, and a Champagne wine extract rich in these components protect neurons against injury induced by 5-S-cysteinyl-dopamine in vitro. The protection induced by these polyphenols was equal to or greater than that observed for the flavonoids, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin and quercetin. For example, p-coumaric acid evoked significantly more protection at 1muM (64.0+/-3.1%) than both (-)-epicatechin (46.0+/-4.1%, p<0.05) and (+)-catechin (13.1+/-3.0%, p<0.001) at the same concentration. These data indicate that hydroxycinnamates, phenolic acids and phenolic alcohol are also capable of inducing neuroprotective effects to a similar extent to that seen with flavonoids.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)106-11
Number of pages6
JournalArchives of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Volume501
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2010

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Caffeic Acids
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coumaric Acids
  • Dopamine
  • Flavonoids
  • Mice
  • Neurons
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Parkinson Disease
  • Phenylethyl Alcohol
  • Wine

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