title: Influence of aqueous crude extracts of medicinal plants on the osmotic stability of human erythrocytes.
abstract: This work analyzed the effects of the aqueous crude extracts of Artemisia absinthium L., Lippia sp., Bryophyllum sp., Solidago microglossa DC, Cymbopogon citratus DC and Mentha x villosa HUDSON on the osmotic stability of human erythrocytes. Hemolysis was monitored by measurement of absorbance at 540 nm following addition of erythrocytes to NaCl solutions of varying concentration. Absorbance was fitted to sigmoid regression curves given by the Boltzmann equation, and hemolysis was characterized by the NaCl concentration leading to lysis of 50% of cells (H(50)), and by the intensity (H) and the amplitude (dS) of the lysis effect. The parameters were determined in the absence and presence of the crude extracts. The extracts of Artemisia absinthium, Lippia sp., C. citratus and M. villosa protected human erythrocytes against hypotonic shock, as evidenced by a decrease in the values of H and H(50) compared to the control solution (p<0.05). The extracts of Bryophyllum sp. and S. microglossa enhanced hemolysis, since their H(50) values were higher than in the control group (p<0.05), but they also showed protective effects, as evidenced by a decrease in H and an increase in dS.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics and Biochemistry, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: de Freitas
authors.forename: Rita de Cássia M
authors.initials: Rde C
authors.lastname: Netto
authors.forename: Juliana C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: da Costa Huss
authors.forename: Tatiana Maria T
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Júnia O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Cynthia B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Firmino
authors.forename: Nilson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Penha-Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D031171:Artemisia absinthium / Q000737:chemistry; D029627:Crassulaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D031743:Cymbopogon / Q000737:chemistry; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D032411:Lippia / Q000737:chemistry; D027541:Mentha / Q000737:chemistry; D009996:Osmotic Fragility / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D036624:Solidago / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts