Antioxidants

Medicinal plants are commonly used in treating or preventing specific ailments or diseases are considered to play a beneficial role in health care. Therefore, the study of plants as a resource of medicine has become more important in the present world for preventing the human beings from oxidative stress diseases and deaths. Objective of the present study is to evaluate the effects of acetone, methanol and aqueous extracts of Syzygium caryophyllatum roots for its antioxidant activity. Using different in vitro models like DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay in a concentration dependent manner (500, 400, 300, 200 and 100 mg/ml) and ABTS radical scavenging activity. The results showed that the methanol root extract had high DPPH radical scavenging activity (62.33%) and ferric reducing capacity than the other extracts. But the results were less when compared to the standard used. The results of this research work indicate the utilization of the root extract of S. caryophyllatum as a significant source of natural antioxidants.

A study was undertaken to assess both oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during mild, chronic, severe and acute exacerbations compared with those with stable COPD, healthy smokers, and non-smokers. Levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8) were measured as markers of airway inflammation and TAS levels were measured as a marker of antioxidant status. MDA levels were measured as a marker of oxidative stress status in the serum of COPD patients. Mean serum MDA levels and levels of IL-8 were significantly high in COPD patients and mean serum antioxidant levels were significantly low in patients as compared to non COPD control. It was further observed that the level of MDA and IL8 elevates while that of total antioxidant level falls with the increase in Gold stage and number of smoking pack years amongst the study subjects. Oxidative stress possibly have role in the pathogenesis of COPD and its complications as indicated by the enhanced levels of lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde and IL-8 in patients. The lower levels of the antioxidant enzyme status point towards that altered antioxidant defense system in patients. Antioxidant therapeutic use and IL-8 antagonists may have clinical usefulness in the treatment of COPD and in preventing its complication and recurrent exacerbations which may improve disease outcome.

There is a close link between hyperglycemia, oxidative stress and diabetic complication. This study was carried out to clarify the effect of ginger and silymarin, as beneficial in the treatment of diabetes. Forty adult male albino rats were used in this study divided into four groups of ten rats each: group 1 represent normal control group, group 2 diabetic groups induced by alloxan, group 3 was diabetic and received daily  ginger, group 4 was diabetic and received daily silymarin. Alloxan-induced diabetic rats, showed a significant increase of plasma glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL–cholesterol, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and uric acid while HDL–cholesterol and insulin levels are significantly decreased. Glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly decreased in homogenates of liver and kidney, while malondialdehyde levels were increased in tissue homogenates of liver and kidney. Plasma levels of glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL–cholesterol and uric acid were decreased significantly after treatment with silymarin or ginger, while HDL–cholesterol and insulin were increased. Nitric oxide levels were decreased significantly in rats treated with silymarin only. In liver homogenates of rats treated with silymarin or ginger, malondialdehyde were decreased significantly, and catalase increased significantly, while superoxide dismutase activities and glutathione peroxidase were increased significantly in liver and kidney after silymarin or ginger treatment. The effects of both agents may be useful in delaying the complicated effects of diabetes due to imbalance between free radicals Moreover; silymarin may be more powerful free radical scavenger than ginger.

Green tea extract (GTE) having so many flavonoid that protect doxorubicin induced cardiotoxicity and nephrotoxity in rats. A single dose of Doxorubicin (20 mg/kg i.p) on 29th day of treatment produced cardiotoxicity. A single dose of cisplatin (6 mg kg−1) was used to induce nephrotoxicity. Wistar Albino rats weighing between 150-200 g were distributed into eight groups comprising of eight animals in each group. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), GSH, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Catalase (CAT) were estimated in heart tissue Reduced glutathione (GSH), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Serum glutamate oxaloacetate (SGOT) and Creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) were estimated in blood. Histopathological studies were performed for the heart tissue of all the groups. DOX induced high serum levels of LDH, CPK and SGOT were reduced while GSH was increased significantly by GTE administration as compared to DOX receiving rats. Pretreatment with GTE ameliorated the cardiac content of GSH, SOD and CAT activities where as MDA level decreased significantly. Scr (serum creatinine) and BUN (blood urea nitrogen) were also estimated. The results support the antioxidant properties of GTE, which indicate cardioprotective role against Doxorubicin (DOX) induced cardiotoxity and nephroprotective role against cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity and its importance as adjuvant therapy in cancer management.