Evaluation of antioxidant potential of Clitoria ternata L. and Eclipta prostrata L.

Free radical-mediated oxidative stress is believed to be the primary cause of many disorders, such as cardiovascular diseases, brain dysfunction, cataract, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, cancer, ageing etc. In treatment of these diseases, antioxidant therapy has gained an utmost importance in the recent years. Current research is now directed towards finding naturally occurring antioxidants of plant origin. In Indian system of medicine, Clitoria ternata L. and Eclipta prostrata L. are the important medicinal plants, which have a wide range of applications. In the present study, the antioxidant potential of aqueous extracts of C. ternata and E. prostrata was evaluated by determining the levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. In vitro antioxidant capacity was also determined using different assays and the results were compared with standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), ascorbic acid and rutin. Our results showed that both plant extracts possessed significant levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and also exhibited antioxidant capacity. However, C. ternata showed higher levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, as compared to E. prostrata. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of C. ternata was observed to be significant as compared to E. prostrata.

Determination of oxidative stress in vitiligo by measuring superoxide dismutase and catalase levels in vitiliginous and non-vitiliginous skin.

Background: Vitiligo is an acquired disorder characterized by circumscribed depigmented macules devoid of identifiable melanocytes. Complex genetic, immunological, neural and self destructive mechanisms interplay in its pathogenesis. According to autocytotoxic hypothesis, oxidative stress has been suggested to be the initial pathogenic event in melanocyte degeneration. Aims: The aim of our investigation was to evaluate the role of oxidative stress by measuring levels of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in lesional and normal skin of patients with vitiligo and in the skin of normal controls. Methods: We determined the activity of SOD in lesional and non-lesional skin and CAT in lesional skin only of 25 vitiligo patients and 25 controls by using the spectrophotometric assay and Aebi's method, respectively. Results: There was statistically significant increase in the levels of SOD in vitiliginous and non vitiliginous skin of patient group compared to the control group ( P < 0.001). No significant difference was found between the levels of SOD in lesional skin and non-lesional skin of vitiligo patients. The levels of CAT in the skin of patients were found to be significantly lower than those of controls ( P < 0.001). Conclusions: There is increased oxidative stress in vitiligo as is indicated by high levels of SOD and low levels of CAT in the skin of vitiligo patients.