Fig. 1. The regulatory mechanism of Nrf2. Under normal
circumstances, Nrf2 is inhibited by Keap1 in the cytoplasm. In the
presence of oxidative stress, Nrf2 is transferred to the nucleus to
trigger the expression of downstream antioxidase genes. Nrf2 also
regulates mitochondrial autophagy and is regulated by it. DACA is
identified as an activator of Nrf2 by inhibiting Keap1, which provides a
promising target against PD.
Rosmarinus officinalis L.(rosemary) is one of the most popular perennial culinary herbs
cultivated all over the world[21]. Both fresh and
dried leaves of rosemary have been used in food cooking or consumed in
small amount as herbal tea. Rosemary extracts are routinely employed as
natural antioxidant to improve the shelf life of perishable
foods[22-24]. Our team has been engaged in the
research and evaluation of phytochemicals for many years, and found that
rosemary is rich in diterpenoids[25, 26]. DACA is
the product of structural modification of one of diterpenoids with
antioxidant activity and neuroprotective effect. But its therapeutic
potential in PD has not been elucidated. The objective of the current
study is to explore the protective effects of DACA in animal and cell
models of PD and to investigate mechanism of its neuroprotection.