Differentiation in a Rat PC12 Cell Line Induced by Ostruthin and (-)-Bornyl Ferulate, Constituents of a Chinese Herbal Medicine

Abstract

  A search for neuritogenic compounds in Chinese herbs resulted in the isolation of two known substances, ostruthin and (-)-bornyl ferulate, from Notopterygium incisum (and/or N. forbesii). Both compounds induced comparable neurite-like structures in 20% of rat PC12 cells at 2 μg/ml, and showed cytotoxicity at concentrations higher than 3 μg/ml.