title: Cytoprotective and antioxidant activity of Rhodiola imbricata against tert-butyl hydroperoxide induced oxidative injury in U-937 human macrophages.
abstract: The present study reports cytoprotective and antioxidant activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Rhodiola imbricata rhizome on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tert-BHP) induced cytotoxicity in U-937 human macrophages. There was an increase in cytotoxicity and apoptosis significantly in the presence of tert-BHP over control cells. The tert-BHP induced cytotoxicity can be attributed to enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production which in turn is responsible for fall in reduced glutathione (GSH) levels; further there was a significant decrease in mitochondrial potential and increase in apoptosis and DNA fragmentation. Both aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Rhodiola rhizome at a concentration of 250 microg/ml were found to inhibit tert-BHP induced free radical production, apoptosis and to restore the anti-oxidant levels to that of the control cells. The alcoholic extract of Rhodiola showed higher cytoprotective activities than aqueous extract. These observations suggest that the alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Rhodiola have marked cytoprotective and antioxidant activities.
authors.affiliation: Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, Delhi, India.
authors.lastname: Kanupriya
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sai Ram
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Sawhney
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ilavazhagan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Banerjee
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D020552:Comet Assay; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry; D029771:Rhodiola / Q000737:chemistry*; D020298:U937 Cells; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide