Ethyl pyruvate (EP), a simple derivative of endogenous pyruvate, has an anti-inflammatory function Recently, the protective neurological effects of EP have been reported in cell culture and animal models of neurological diseases The present study investigates the protective effects of EP on dopaminergic cell death in Parkinson's disease models The selective death of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra was prevented by EP in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine mouse models EP also suppressed the 1-methy1-4-pyridinium-induced cell death of SH-SY5Y cells and restored the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase Thus, EP has neuroprotective effects of EP in Parkinson's disease and its related signaling pathways (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved