A comparative study of goji berry and ashwagandha extracts effects on promoting neural stem cell proliferation and reducing neuronal cell death

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease pose significant challenges to healthcare due to their increasing prevalence with an aging global population and the limited availability of effective treatments. This study explores the potential of goji berry and ashwagandha extracts, traditionally used in Chinese and Indian medicine, respectively, to promote neural stem cell (NSCs) proliferation and neuroprotection, offering new insights into the prevention and treatment of these debilitating conditions. Utilizing an in vitro model, we applied the CCK8 assay to evaluate the proliferative impact of these extracts on rat NSCs and assessed their neuroprotective potential in a Parkinson’s disease cell model. Our findings indicate that both extracts, at optimal concentrations, significantly boosted NSC proliferation, with a synergistic effect observed when used in combination. Furthermore, the extracts elevated ATP level, indicating a protective effect against neuronal cell death induced by the neurotoxic agent 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+). These results position goji berry and ashwagandha extracts as potential candidates for developing preventative and therapeutic interventions for NDs, underscoring their ability to influence NSC activity and provide neuroprotection.