Figure 1.

Evaluation of the effect of argan oil on 7-ketocholesterol (7KC)-induced cell growth inhibition in 158N murine oligodendrocytes with the crystal violet and MTT tests. After 24 h of culture, 158N murine oligodendrocytes were cultured for an additional 24 h without or with 7KC (25 µM) in the absence or presence of argan oils (Agadir or Berkane; Morocco; 0.1% v/v) or α-tocopherol (400 µM) used as the positive control. Argan oils and α-tocopherol were added to the culture medium 2 h before 7KC. The cytoprotective effect of argan oils on 7KC-induced inhibition of cell growth was evaluated with the crystal violet test (measurement of adherent cells) (A) or the MTT test (measurement of the activity of the succinate deshydrogenase, a mitochondrial enzyme belonging to the Krebs cycle) (B). The experiments were carried out three times in triplicate. Data are mean ± standard deviation (SD) of two independent experiments carried out in triplicate. The significance of the relationship between vehicle and cells treated with 7KC, argan oils or α-tocopherol was calculated by the Anova test (Sidak’s multiple comparisons); * p ≤ 0.05. The significance of the relationship between cells treated with 7KC alone, 7KC and argan oils cotreatment, or 7KC and α-tocopherol cotreatment was calculated by the Anova test (Sidak’s multiple comparisons); ^# p ≤ 0.05. No significant difference was found between control and vehicle-treated cells (EtOH 0.95% v/v). The EtOH value of 0.95% corresponds to the highest EtOH concentration obtained when the cells were simultaneously treated with 7KC used at 25 µM (EtOH, 0.05%) and with argan oil (EtOH, 0.9% v/v).