title: Evaluation of the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Boehmeria nivea var. nivea and B. nivea var. tenacissima.
abstract: In this study, the relationship between liver protective effects and antioxidant activity of Boehmeria nivea var. nivea (= B. nivea) and B. nivea var. tenacissima (= B. frutescens) was investigated. The water extracts of both plants exhibited a hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced liver injury. B. nivea var. nivea and B. nivea var. tenacissima, also showed anti-oxidant effects in FeCl2-ascorbate induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenate. Moreover, the active oxygen species scavenging potencies were evaluated by an electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping technique. B. nivea var. tenacissima displayed better superoxide radical scavenging activity than B. nivea. Based on these findings, we suggest that in the liver protective and antioxidative effects of B. nivea var. nivea and B. nivea var. tenacissima, possibly involve mechanisms related to free radical scavenging effects.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013481:Superoxides; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; C029451:ferrous chloride