高血糖誘發氧化壓力會導致內皮細胞功能不全，進而引起糖尿病血管併發症，本研究擬以北冬蟲夏草（Cordyceps militaris；CME）萃取物為材料並與冬蟲夏草(Cordyceps sinensis；CSE)作比較，探討其高濃度葡萄糖對造成內皮細胞氧化傷害之影響。於試管實驗中我們發現北冬蟲夏草對化學性誘導產生的蛋白質氧化傷害具保護性，於500 g/ml時具有65％ 抑制蛋白質羰基化作用。在人類臍帶內皮細胞（HUVEC）細胞模式中，北冬蟲夏草對高血糖誘發氧化壓力具保護性，其作用機制可能與降低ROS 及 NO 的產生率，減少 eNOS 、磷酸化 eNOS 及 Bax 蛋白表現量，增加抗凋亡之蛋白 Bcl-2 表現量，調整粒線體膜電位以及降低 caspase 3 活性有關，綜合以上述實驗的結果，推測北冬蟲夏草對高血糖誘發細胞傷害之保護性可能與其維持細胞內正常氧化還原系統有關。 Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress is detrimental to endothelial cells, contributing to the vascular complications of diabetes. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of water extract of Cordyceps militaris (CME) on high glucose induced oxidative damage in human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC). CME at 500 g/ml showed 68.5% inhibition of protein carbonylation. In HUVEC intracellular model system, the mechanism of protection against cells death was achieved mainly by decreasing ROS and NO generation, reducing eNOS and p-eNOS expression levels, up regulating Bcl-2 activation and down regulating of Bax, modulating mitochondria membrane potential as well as suppressing caspase-3 activation. On the basis of the results obtained, the protective actions of CME on hyperglycemia-induced cytotoxicity may be related to their maintenance of the normal redox status of cells.
