A study published in Neuroscience Letters provides strong evidence that the dietary antioxidant ergothioneine offers significant protection to neurons against a common form of cell damage known as excitotoxicity. The research, conducted using an in vivo rat model, demonstrates that ergothioneine can dramatically reduce nerve cell loss in the retina, a key part of the central nervous system.
Excitotoxicity occurs when nerve cells are over-stimulated by neurotransmitters like glutamate, leading to the production of free radicals and ultimately, cell death. This mechanism is a key component in the pathology of many chronic neurodegenerative conditions.
Researchers investigated whether ergothioneine—a potent antioxidant that humans absorb from foods like mushrooms—could counteract this damage.
Key Findings from the Study:
To model neuronal damage, scientists injected the glutamate agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) into the eyes of rats, a method known to cause severe degeneration of retinal neurons.
Severe Damage Without Protection: In rats that received only the NMDA injection, there was a catastrophic loss of retinal neurons. Cell counts revealed that
81% of the large ganglion cells and 43% of smaller non-ganglion cells were destroyed by the treatment.
Significant Neuroprotection with Ergothioneine: In the group of rats treated with ergothioneine, the cell loss was significantly reduced. The loss of large ganglion cells dropped from 81% to just
44%, and the loss of smaller cells was reduced from 43% to 31%.
Protection Confirmed at a Cellular Level: The damage from NMDA was also visible through a reduction in key cellular proteins, including amyloid precursor protein (APP) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). The ergothioneine-treated animals showed healthier retinal tissue in comparison.
Conclusion:
This study confirms that the dietary antioxidant ergothioneine is an effective neuroprotective agent in a living system. By significantly mitigating the toxic effects of NMDA, particularly on the highly vulnerable ganglion cells, the research suggests that antioxidants like ergothioneine may provide a useful therapeutic strategy for modulating glutamate-based toxicity and protecting neurons in neurodegenerative diseases.
Source & Link to Original Article:
For credibility and academic integrity, the original research paper is cited below. You can access the full article via the following link.
Citation: Moncaster, J. A., Walsh, D. T., Gentleman, S. M., Jen, L. S., & Aruoma, O. I. (2002). Ergothioneine treatment protects neurons against N-methyl-D-aspartate excitotoxicity in an in vivo rat retinal model. Neuroscience Letters, 328(1), 55–59.
