Differentiation in a rat PC12 cell line induced by ostruthin and (-)-bornyl ferulate, constituents of a Chinese herbal medicine.

A search for neuritogenic compounds in Chinese herbs resulted in the isolation of two known substances, ostruthin and (-)-bornyl ferulate, from Notopterygium incisum (and/or N. forbesii). Both compounds induced comparable neurite-like structures in 20% of rat PC12 cells at 2 micrograms/ml, and showed cytotoxicity at concentrations higher than 3 micrograms/ml.