Abstract: Reactive oxygen species(ROS)such as H₂O₂, O₂^-· and OH· are related to neurodegenerative diseases,including Alzheimer’s disease,Epilepsy,Parkinson’s disease, etc. In this study,the astrocytes of Wistar rat were separated and cultured.It was used as the raw material for detecting the protective effect of barley extracts on the cell growth inhibition induced by H₂O₂.The cell morphology was then observed and the cell growth rate was determined by SRB method.The experimental results indicated that barley extracts had the protective effect on the decrease of the growth rate of astrocytes under the induction of H₂O₂, in which there was a trait of concentration dependence,namely when concentration of barley extracts increased to 1600 μg/mL,the growth rate of cells was 100%.

Key words: reactive oxygen species, barley extracts, astrocyte, the growth rate of cells