X-Message-Number: 11930
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 1999 17:21:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: b-vitamins prevent neurotoxicity

Authors
  Kaneda K.  Kikuchi M.  Kashii S.  Honda Y.  Maeda T.  Kaneko S.  Akaike A.
Institution
  Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto
  University, Japan.
Title
  Effects of B vitamins on
  glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in retinal cultures.
Source
  European Journal of Pharmacology.  322(2-3):259-64, 1997 Mar 19.
Abstract
  The effects of B vitamins on
  glutamate-induced neurotoxicity were examined using primary
  cultures obtained from the rat retina. Cell viability was markedly reduced by
  a brief exposure to glutamate followed by incubation with glutamate-free
  media for 1 h. Glutamate cytotoxicity was reduced in the cultures that had
  been maintained in thiamine-, pyridoxine- or nicotinamide-containing medium
  before the exposure to glutamate. Glutamate cytotoxicity was also reduced by
  chronic application of thiamine pyrophosphate and pyridoxal phosphate, which
  are active coenzyme forms of thiamine and pyridoxine, respectively. By
  contrast, chronic application of riboflavin, pantothenate, biotin, folic acid
  and inositol did not affect glutamate cytotoxicity. None of the B
  vitamins tested had any effect on glutamate cytotoxicity
  when added only during the exposure to glutamate. These findings suggest that
  chronically applied thiamine, pyridoxine and nicotinamide protect retinal
  neurons against glutamate cytotoxicity.

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