Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Effects of Cyathea phalerata Mart. (Cyatheaceae)

Abstract

The present study investigated the antioxidant properties of Cyathea phalerata Mart. (Cyatheaceae) using in vitro and in vivo assays. The in vitro antioxidant potential of the crude extract (CE), precipitate (PPT), aqueous fraction (AQF), n-butanolic fraction (BUF) and ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) from C. phalerata was evaluated through the scavenging of diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH), superoxide anion (O 2• − ) (nitroblue tetrazolium assay) and hydroxyl radicals (OH • ) (deoxyribose assay), and lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenate. In these assays, it was observed that EAF had marked antioxidant potential, especially as a scavenger of the OH• radical and in inhibiting lipid peroxidation. The in vivo evaluation of oxidative stress (DNA fragmentation, membrane lipoperoxidation and carbonyl protein formation) and the antioxidant defenses (concentration of reduced glutathione, as well as catalase and glutathione S-transferase activities) were measured in mice pre-treated with EAF (10, 30 or 100 mg/kg, orally) and later exposed to carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). The EAF decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels, DNA damage and carbonyl protein contents, and increased catalase and glutathione S-transferase activities. Based on these results, it is concluded that the EAF from C. phalerata protects liver from oxidative stress induced by CCl 4 in mice and these effects are probably related to the antioxidant activity associated with the free radical scavenging property of this fraction.Cyathea phalerata Mart. (Cyatheaceae) is a tree fern that grows in the tropical and subtropical areas of Brazil and is commonly known as 'xaxim'. In folk medicine, its stem pith is used to treat several inflammatory diseases and the alcohol extract of the pith is used for the treatment of varicose veins and hemorrhoids. In phytochemical studies of Cyathea genus, several classes of compounds were identified such as fernene, filicene and hopane triterpenes [1,2], phenolic acids (coumaric and caffeic), protocatechuic acids and flavonoids, mainly kaempferol glycosides [3][4][5]. In a recent study, Pizzolatti et al . [6] isolated the cyathenosin A, a spiropyranosil derivative of protocatechuic acid, from the stem pith of C. phalerata . Studies on the pharmacological effects of C. phalerata are still limited. However, recently, Cazarolli et al . [7] demonstrated that the flavonoid, kaempferol-3-neohesperidoside, isolated from C. phalerata , has a hypoglycaemic effect in diabetes induced by alloxan in rats.Flavonoids exhibit a wide range of biological effects, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, hepatoprotective, antithrombotic, antiviral, anticarcinogenic and vasodilatory actions; many of these biological functions have been attributed to the free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity of these compounds [8][9][10].Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several human pathologies, including ischaemia and reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, neurodegene...

Puerarin Attenuates Carbon Tetrachloride‐Induced Liver Oxidative Stress and Hyperlipidaemia in Mouse by JNK/c‐Jun/CYP7A1 Pathway

“…1). In CCl 4 -treated mice, the activities of serum ALT and AST significantly increased by 311% and 412% as compared with these of the control group, respectively [F ALT (3,24) = 41.362, p < 0.01; F AST (3,24) = 43.257, p < 0.01; CCl 4 group versus control group]. Interestingly, the treatment with low and high dose of puerarin decreased ALT activities by 34% and 64% as compared with these of the CCl 4treated mice, respectively [F(3,24) = 41.362, p < 0.01].…”

Review of Methods to Determine Antioxidant Capacities

“…Superoxide is a relatively weak oxidant; therefore, the reason for the discovery of compounds that scavenge O Á À 2 is that this radical can decompose to form more potent and reactive ROS such as the hydroxyl radical ( Á OH) and peroxynitrite (ONOO − ), singlet oxygen which initiate the lipid oxidation. Flavonoids, including epicatechin, myricetin, rutin, catechin, epigallocatechin, quercetin, galangin, and morin can scavenge O Á À 2 (Hort et al 2008), but the scavenging of O Á À 2 is not the only mechanism for inhibition of lipid oxidation in either biological or lipid food systems (Frankel and Meyer 2000).…”

Population Structure and Regeneration Status of Cyathea gigantea (Wallich ex Hook. f.) Holttum, a Tree Fern in Arunachal Pradesh, India

“…Cyathea gigantea has been included in the Appendix II of CITES and its export has been restricted (Sanjappa and Lakshminarasimhan 2011). To prevent anthropogenic interferences and export of important plant species worldwide, CITES has included many species of the genus in Appendix II (Thomas et al 2006 (Juneja et al 1990;Soltis et al 1991;Bellingham et al 1995;Arens and Balcado 1998;Simabukuro et al 1998;Bernabe et al 1999;Ough and Murphy 2004;Khare et al 2005;Schuettpelz and Pryer 2007;Chandra et al 2008;Hort et al 2008;Bhuju and Joshi 2009;Lee et al 2009;Rout et al 2009;Watkins and Cardelús 2009;Ballesteros 2010;Volkova et al 2010;Bystriakova et al 2011;Ranil et al 2011;Kiran et al 2012;Schmitt and Windisch 2012;Shukla and Khare 2012;Wang et al 2012;Neumann et al 2014) in various parts of the world. However, ecological studies on Cyathea spp.…”