Effects of Lu-Duo-Wei capsules on superoxide dismutase activity and contents of malondialdehyde and lipofuscin in the brain of the housefly.

The biochemical actions of Lu-Duo-Wei capsules and tea polyphenol in relation to their antioxidant capability have been compared in the male housefly, Musca domestica. It was found that tea polyphenol had the effect of increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the brain of the housefly only at the 60th day in the experimental period whereas Lu-Duo-Wei showed more obvious effects on SOD than tea polyphenol irrespective of experimental days. Moreover, the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the rate of lipofuscin accumulation were decreased by the effect of Lu-Duo-Wei at the 20th, 40th, 50th and 60th days, while the similar effect of tea polyphenol on the content of MDA and lipofuscin was observed only at the 40th day. These results indicated that the biochemical actions of Lu-Duo-Wei in antiaging was much stronger than those of tea polyphenol, the mechanism of which was probably related to the synergistic effect of its involved antioxidants and others as well as the exclusive promotion of SOD biosynthesis/or a reduction of free radical-induced damage of the enzyme.