title: Antioxidant activity and protective effect of Turnera ulmifolia Linn. var. elegans against carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative damage in rats.
abstract: The present study aimed to determine whether the leaves of Turnera ulmifolia Linn. var. elegans extract exert significant antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of its hydroethanolic extract (HEETU) was evaluated by assessing (a) its radical scavenging ability in vitro, and (b) its in vivo effect on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities. The in vitro antioxidant assay (DPPH) clearly supported HEETU free radical scavenging potential. Moreover, glutathione content and antioxidant enzyme activities (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase) were significantly enhanced in CCl(4)-treated rats due to oral HEETU-treatment (500 mg/kgb.w.) over 7 and 21 days. In addition, an improvement was observed in lipid peroxidation and serum biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase), indicating a protective effect against CCl(4)-induced liver injuries, confirmed by histopathological studies. The HEETU effect was comparable to the standard drug Legalon® (50 mg/kgb.w.) under the same experimental condition. Quantitative analysis of the HPLC extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, wich mediate the effects of antioxidant and oxidative stress. In conclusion, extract components exhibit antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, UFRN, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Naira J N
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
authors.forename: José B M
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Macêdo
authors.forename: Gabriel Araujo
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Cláudia N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Adriana Augusto
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Rezende
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brandão-Neto
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Maria das Graças
authors.initials: Md
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D029647:Turnera / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D005978:Glutathione