title: Use of red blood cell membranes to evaluate the antioxidant potential of plant extracts.
abstract: Antioxidant phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables of a vegetarian diet may account for the reduced risk of aging and stress oxidative associated diseases. In this study, a simple, rapid and accurate new bioassay for the determination of the antioxidant activity of purified or crude plant extracts and thier interactions is described, based on the fluorimetric determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) released by UV-B radiated red blood cell (RBC) ghosts. Pure resveratrol, white and red wine and pomegranate juice (PJ) were used as antioxidant source to test the biological method. TBARS production is a function of radiation time, the number of RBC ghosts in the radiated sample and the loaded antioxidant. The antioxidant activity of resveratrol was detected at a submicromolar concentration range [0.02 μg/mL-0.1 μmol/L]. The activity of red wine was almost 10 times higher than that of white wine, and PJ juice had the highest activity. Submaximal protective effects of PJ and red wine were additive.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Research Centre on Biology and Pathology of Aging, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavallini
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dachà
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Potenza
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ranieri
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scattino
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castagna
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bergamini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001628:Beverages; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D029561:Lythraceae; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077185:Resveratrol; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014920:Wine
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013267:Stilbenes; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D000077185:Resveratrol