title: In vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract from Meconopsis quintuplinervia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Meconopsis quintuplinervia, a medicinal herb endemic to the Tibetan region, is used to treat hepatitis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the ethanolic extract of this herb using different assays.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antioxidant capacity of Meconopsis quintuplinervia was investigated using various established in vitro systems. An in vivo study of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced antioxidant activity in mice was also conducted by examining the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The extract showed strong in vitro antioxidant ability. In the in vivo study, CCl(4)-induced oxidative stress caused significant decreases in the SOD, CAT, and GSH levels and a significant increase in the MDA level, most of which were significantly reversed (except for SOD in the liver.) by treatment with the extract and standard Vitamin E.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study clearly indicates that the ethanolic extract of Meconopsis quintuplinervia is a valuable source of natural antioxidants. These findings provide scientific support for the traditional use of this herb as a Tibetan medicine for liver diseases.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, and Institute of TCM & Natural Products, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, PR China.
authors.forename: Jingsheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiaoquan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Youwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D028101:Papaveraceae / Q000737:chemistry; D010636:Phenols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010851:Picrates / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002614:Chelating Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; D014810:Vitamin E; C002502:2,2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid; D000431:Ethanol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione