Neuroprotective effects of Actinidia eriantha cv. Bidan kiwifruit on amyloid beta-induced neuronal damages in PC-12 cells and ICR mice

The positive effects of Actinidia eriantha cv. Bidan extract (AEE) were investigated in terms of improvement in Aβ1-42-induced cognitive impairment. AEE was shown to have neuroprotective effects, such as reduction in intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and suppression of apoptotic cell death, in neuron-like PC-12 cells. Results of the in vivo experiment showed that AEE at 200 and 1,000 mg/kg body weight/day, and even at 50 mg/kg body weight/day, reduced impairments in learning and spatial memory in Aβ1-42-treated ICR mice. Furthermore, the endogenous antioxidant systems (SOD, CAT, and GSH/GSSG) in the mouse brain tissue significantly (p < 0.05) increased by AEE administration compared with the group treated with only Aβ1-42. In the analysis of UPLC-Q-TOF mass spectrometry, caffeic acid derivatives such as caffeoylquinic acids were identified in AEE. These results suggest that the Bidan kiwifruit is a good source of antioxidant phenolics that hold the potential to improve cognitive function.