ABSTRACT
Background: Antioxidants from plants are preferred due to their multiple mechanisms of actions. In this study, the mixture of flowers and leaves (according to traditional use) of Cytisus triflorus (Fabaceae) was assessed for their in vitro antioxidant activities. Materials and Methods: The mixture leaves-flowers powder was macerated in methanol, filtered, and then dried to give the crude extract. The crude extract was successively extracted with different solvents of increasing polarity giving: petroleum ether extract, chloroform extract and ethyl acetate extract. Total phenol content was determined by Folin-ciocalteau assay and the AlCl3 method was used for determination of the total flavonoids. The mixture was assessed for its in vitro antioxidant activity using spectrophotometric methods like DPPH, β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching, Ion chelating, reducing power, Superoxide anion radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, Hydrogen peroxide and Anti-Hemolytic Assays. Antioxidant activities were compared with BHT and ascorbic acid as standard antioxidants. Results: Quantitative analysis of antioxidative components showed that ethyl acetate extract is the richest fraction in term of polyphenols (69.78 ± 2.97 µg GAE/mg of extract) when chloroform extract has the highest amount of flavonoids (17.4 ± 0.46 µg QE/mg extract). Results showed that the crude extract and fractions of this plant exhibited high antioxidant activities. Crude extract showed the strongest effect in almost all tests (DPPH, ion Chelating, β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching and Anti-Hemolytic assays), when petroleum ether extract was the weakest one. Aqueous extract exhibited the highest activity in reducing power test with IC50 value of 320 µg/mL while chloroform extract was the most effective in hydroxyl scavenging assay (IC50 = 440.45 µg/mL). In hydrogen peroxide scavenging test, ethyl acetate extract was the most effective with a similar effect to that of ascorbic acid (IC50 = 1.54 µg/mL). Conclusion: Results obtained indicated that extracts from Cytisus triflorus exhibited a potential effect to prevent disease caused by the overproduction of radicals.
ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant effects of different extracts prepared from the leaves of Xanthium strumarium. Polyphenols and flavonoids contents in all extracts were determined by spectrophotometric assays, antioxidant and antiradical capacities of the extracts were assayed using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, reducing power, β-carotene and anti-hemolytic assay. In addition, the in vivo antioxidant activity of three concentrations of leaves crude extract was investigated. Antioxidant activity of the crude extract was examined using anti-hemolytic assay and the determination of Glutathione and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and catalase activity. In vitro antioxidant assays showed that crude extract and its fractions have strong effects in scavenging DPPH and reducing power. These activities decreased in the following order: ethyl acetate extract (EAE) > aqueous extract (AqE) > crude extract (CrE) > chloroform extract (ChE). The β-carotene bleaching assay showed that the CrE had the highest antioxidant activity followed by the EAE, AqE and the ChE. However, the anti-hemolytic test demonstrated that the ChE was the most effective in protecting red blood cells, followed by the EAE, AqE and the CrE. Three concentrations of leaves crude extract were tested for the in vivo antioxidant assays, and anti-hemolytic Catalase activity and the content of both MDA and Glutathione (GSH) were estimated. Among these tests, X. strumarium crude extract exhibited a potent inhibition of lipid peroxidation. It was concluded that X. strumarium extracts contain high phenolic content and have powerful antioxidant capacity in vitro and in vivo. These extracts were found to be safe with no toxic effects. These findings support the traditional use of this plant as an anti-inflammatory remedy.
ABSTRACT
Aims: The objective of the present study is to estimate the effect of the methanol extract of Pistacia lentiscus (PL) on plasma antioxidant capacity and biomarkers of oxidative stress in liver tissue of healthy female rats. Methodology: The present work assessments oral administration of methanol extract at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg during 14 days on plasma antioxidant activities using DPPH and reducing power tests. Levels MDA, GSH and catalase activity in liver tissue of healthy female rats were estimated. Results: The doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg during 14 days caused significant elevation of plasma antioxidant capacity using DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power assay compared to the control. Also, evaluation of MDA levels revealed that the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg reduced significantly the lipid peroxidation in liver tissues. Treatment with methanol extract at doses of 100, 200 showed no significant difference in GSH level in the liver when compared with control group. Moreover, the activity of catalase enzyme caused non significantly decreased in 100 and 200 mg/kg treated groups. Highest depletion of the antioxidant activity was reported in post administration of 400 mg/kg. Finally, the dose of 400 mg/kg of the methanol extract for 14 days leads to a decrease of GSH levels and catalase activity. For this reason, medicinal plants need a critical evaluation of dose administration to avoid its side effects.
ABSTRACT
Germander (Teucrium polium) is commonly used as medicinal plant in Algeria against a variety of human diseases. This study aims to evaluate toxic effects of T. polium methanol extract (TPME) in Swiss albino mice. Biochemical parameters, organs morophology and histopathology were investigated. TPME gave a LD50 of 442.81 and 686.77 mg/kg of body weight (b.w.) in male and female mice, respectively. The acute treatment for seven days at a dose of 100 mg/kg of b.w. didn’t show any difference in body weight, relative mass and blood biochemical parameters. Histopathological examination revealed a moderate congestion in kidneys and an inflammatory infiltrate in liver. The chronic effect for 30 days at doses of 50 and 75 mg of TPME/kg of b.w. resulted in a significant increase of renal (urea), hepatic (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase) parameters, accompanied by a significant decrease of cholesterol level. Histopathological examination confirmed the biochemical tests by the observation of necrosis areas, ballooning degeneration and peliosis in liver sections and the presence of marked vascular congestion in kidneys in both sexes. In conclusion, the use of Teucrium polium L. may cause hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity after prolonged herb administration.