Objective:In this study two substances 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridineion(MPP+) and glutamate(Glu) were used to induce neurotoxicity and degenerative change in dopaminergic neurons in primary cell culture. By additional applying strychnine in such cellular toxic models we tested the pharmacological and toxicological influence of strychnine on neurodegenerative processes. Method: the pregnant OF1/SPF mice were choose

the midbrains were collected

the primary cells of dopaminergic neurons were cultured at 5%CO2

37 ℃

100% humidity conditions in incubator. On the day in vitro(DIV) 10

strychnine at concentration of 0.1

1

5

10 μmol·L-1

MPP+ 10 μmol·L-1

Glu 500 μmol·L-1 was added for 48 h and performed staining on DIV 12.numbers of dopaminergic neurons

numbers of processes and length of processese were measured and analyzed. Result: The results demonstrated that strychnine at all range of concentrations (1-10 μmol·L-1) had no significant toxic effect on normal dopaminergic neuron cells in 48 hours without MPP+ or glutamate. However

a significant stimulating effect on neuron occured

namely

in which under treatment of strychnine at dose 10 μmol·L-1 cell number was enhanced compared with control (P<0.05); the value of length of neuronal processes also increased by 10 μmol·L-1 strychnine (P<0.05); as well as number of neuronal processes elevated in the range of 5-10 μmol·L-1 (P<0.05). When neurons were treated by MPP+ (10 μmol·L-1)

strychnine played anti-neurodegenerative effect. Under concentration 10 μmol·L-1 of strychnine

the number of neurons was higher than that in MPP+ treatment (P<0.05); the value of length of neuronal processes was increased by strychnine at 10 μmmol·L-1 (P<0.05); the number of neuron processes under 5 μmol·L-1strychnine was also higher than that in MPP+ treatment group (P<0.05). In Glu(500 μmol·L-1) induced neurotoxicity

strychnine showed significant neuroprotective action

which indicated by recovery of morphology or the number of dopaminergic neurons 10 μmol·L-1 (P<0.05). Conclusion: The present results demonstrate that strychnine stimulated in vitro the growth of dopaminergic neurons from substantia negra par compacta

and played the neuronal protective effect against neurodegenerative damage in vitro.