ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT OF ARTEMISIA VULGARIS LEAF EXTRACTS ON OXIDATIVELY STRESSED PRECISION-CUT LIVER SLICES

Abstract

Oxidative stress results from an excessive production of reactive oxygen species beyond the body’s antioxidant capacity. The overproduction of reactive oxygen species can lead to damage to cellular biomolecules, which is implicated in the development of many diseases including cell death. The reactive oxygen species can be eliminated / deactivated by a number of antioxidants which include enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants. The work was framed to study the antioxidant effects of Artemisia vulgaris leaf extracts on oxidatively stressed precision-cut liver slices. Precision-cut liver slices were treated with hydrogen peroxide (standard oxidant) both in the presence and in the absence of three different solvent extracts of the leaves namely aqueous (polar in nature), methanol (partially polar and non-polar) and chloroform (non-polar). The enzymic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione-s-transferase) and non-enzymic (ascorbic acid, tocopherol, vitamin A and reduced glutathione) antioxidants were analyzed in the liver slice homogenate after incubation. Both enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants were found to be decreased in oxidant-treated liver slices compared to untreated control, whereas the antioxidant activity / level was increased in leaf extract treated slices. This result indicates that the leaf extracts have the ability to improve the antioxidant status in oxidatively stressed liver slices.