Abstract:Objective To investigate the in vivo neuroprotective effect of β-ecdysterone on MPTP (MPTP)-induced Parkinson’s disease (PD) mice through activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Methods Forty-two mice were divided into normal group (group A), model group (group B), sregiline group (group C), β-ecdysterone high group (group D), medium group (group E), and low dose (group F) group by random number table method, with seven mice in each group. Behavioral changes were observed, TH, PI3K, and P-PI3K, Akt and P-Akt, BAX, and BCL-2 protein expression in the brain were detected by Western blot, and BAX and BCL-2 mRNA expression in the brain of mice were detected by RT-qPCR. Results Mice in group B took longer to climb the pole than those in group A, while mice in groups C, D, and E took shorter time to climb the pole than those in group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The suspension scores of mice in group B were higher than those in group A, while the suspension scores of mice in groups C, D, and E were lower than those in group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The P-PI3K/PI3K and P-PAkt/Akt ratios in group B were lower than those in group A, while the P-PI3K/PI3K and P-PAkt/Akt ratios in groups C, D, and E were higher than those in group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression of apoptosis-inhibiting protein BCL-2 in group B was lower than that in group A, while the expression of pro-apoptosis protein BAX was higher than that in group A, and the differences were highly statistically significant (P<0.01); the expression of BCL-2 protein in groups C, D, and E were higher than that in group B, while the expression of BAX protein were lower than that in group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression of BCL-2 mRNA in group B was lower than that in group A, while the expression of BCL-2 mRNA in groups C, D, and E were higher than that in group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression of BAX mRNA in group B was higher than that in group A, while the expression of BAX mRNA in groups C, D, and E were lower than that in group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion β-Ecdysterone protects dopaminergic neurons in MPTP-induced PD mice with dose-dependent activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, which subsequently attenuates apoptosis.