title: Neuroprotective effect of Brahmi, an ayurvedic drug against oxidative stress induced by methyl mercury toxicity in rat brain mitochondrial-enriched fractions.
abstract: The present study evaluates the neuroprotective effect of Brahmi against methyl mercury (MeHg) toxicity. The results demonstrated that MeHg-decreased mitochondrial viability in MTT assay and IC50 value was found to be 2.5 μg/mL. However, Brahmi at 250 μg/mL concentration effectively prevented mitochondrial damage caused by MeHg in MTT assay. Our results also demonstrated MeHg significantly inhibited catalase enzyme activity, glutathione content and increased the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in mitochondrial-enriched fractions of rat brain. These alterations were prevented by preincubation with Brahmi. In addition, Brahmi reverted glutathione level to normal that was depleted by MeHg, confirming its chelating effect, one of the molecular mechanisms that underlie protection against oxidative damage. Our study also focused on total phenolic and flavonoid contents of Brahmi, and it was found to contain significant amount of phenols and flavonoids. The presence of saponins was detected by HPLC which might be responsible for neuroprotection against MeHg.
authors.affiliation: a Biomedical Division, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University , Vellore 632 014 , Tamil Nadu , India.
authors.forename: Dhanoop Manikoth
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ayyathan
authors.forename: Rajasekaran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chandrasekaran
authors.forename: Kalaivani
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thiagarajan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010636:Phenols; D012503:Saponins; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; C073972:dimethyl mercury; D002374:Catalase; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Brahmi; methyl mercury; mitochondrial viability; neuroprotection; oxidative stress