Volatile oils of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill alleviates Parkinson's disease by activating the Nrf2 pathway to positively regulate autophagy and oxidative stress

Abstract

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill, which is frequently used in health products and drinks, is recognized for its high content of essential oils that could have protective effects against PD, despite the lack of complete understanding of its pharmacological mechanisms. This research aims to examine how ESC can affect autophagy signaling pathways and activate the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to effectively decrease oxidative damage, thus shedding light on the possible anti-PD effects of this treatment. The results demonstrated that ESC significantly reduced behavioral issues linked to Parkinson's disease in a mouse model that was induced by MPTP and safeguarded dopaminergic neurons that expressed tyrosine hydroxylase. Moreover, ESC boosted the antioxidant capability of Nrf2, assisted with autophagy processes, and finally decreased protein expression levels of Keap1, HO-1, MAPK, mTOR, and ERK. According to in vitro studies, ESC treatment had a significant reduction in H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress levels, which suggests that Nrf2 targets ESC after treatment. The activation of both autophagy and Nrf2 antioxidant pathways was assessed using western blotting. In conclusion, ESC exhibits the potential to suppress oxidative stress by activating Nrf2 in response to autophagy, which is positioned as a promising pharmaceutical candidate, especially for the management and treatment of PD and related disorders.