title: Protective effects of Passiflora alata extract pretreatment on carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative damage in rats.
abstract: The leaf extract of Passiflora alata Dryander (P. alata) has been demonstrated to possess antioxidant activity in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of P. alata leaf extract pretreatment on carbon tetrachloride-treated rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups: group 1 (control - vehicle), group 2 and 3 (P. alata extract - 1 and 5mg/kg, respectively) and group 4 (trolox - 0.18mg/kg). Rats received daily pretreatment by oral gavage for 30 days followed by a single dose of CCl(4) (3ml/kg i.p. in vegetable oil) on the 30th day and were killed after 6h. The pretreatment with the P. alata extract provided significant protection to liver, evidenced by lower degree of necrosis, decreased lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and higher catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Additionally, pretreated-rats with P. alata (5mg/kg) showed significantly decreased cardiac TBARS levels. Our results indicate that a low oral dose of P. alata leaf extract has both hepato and cardioprotective effects on rats treated with CCl(4).
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. tatakii@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rudnicki
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Reginatto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal-Pizzol
authors.forename: J C F
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D029598:Passiflora; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride