Protective effect of bergamot juice against 6-OHDA-induced injury in SH-SY5Y cells.

Accumulating evidence has suggested that either oxidative stress or activation of apoptotic cascade events play a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau (bergamot) is a small tree growing almost exclusively in Calabria region (Italy). Bergamot fruit is used mostly for the extraction of its essential oil, while the bergamot juice (BJ) is considered just a secondary and discarded product. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytoprotective effect of BJ against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced cell death. Treatment of SHSY-5Y human neuroblastoma cells with 6-OHDA (50 and 100 µM) resulted in significant cytotoxic effects, as assessed 24 hours later by MTT reduction assay. Pre-incubation with BJ (0.5% and 1%) exhibited significant prevention on 6-OHDA-induced cell death associated with inhibition of ROS production. Furthermore, Annexin-V test suggests that BJ can inhibit apoptosis induced by 6-OHDA. The mechanisms through which BJ exert protective effects seem to be correlated with its antioxidant capability (DPPH and reducing power tests) and inhibition of NF-κB activation (EMSA analysis). Our study indicates that BJ could be useful to counteract neurodegenerative diseases such as PD.