Medicinal Plants Extracts Impact on Oxidative Stress in Mice Brain Under the Physiological Conditions: the Effects of Corn Silk, Parsley, and Bearberry.

This study was performed to examine the effects of medicinal plant extracts of corn silk (Stigma maydis), parsley leaf (Petroselini folium), and bearberry leaf (Uvae ursi folium) on antioxidant status of the brain of experimental animals (mice) under the physiological conditions. Biological properties of these plants are insufficiently investigated and the aim was to explore their possible antioxidant effects that can alleviate oxidative damage of the brain tissue. Corn silk extract showed positive effect on activities of antioxidant enzymes in mice brain tissue. Parsley extract induced the increase in glutathione content and decrease of lipid peroxidation. Bearberry leaf extract induced catalase activity and decrease of hydroxyl radical content, while malonyldialdehide accumulation was maintained at the control level. Results obtained in this study support the use of corn silk, parsley and bearberry leaves as natural antioxidant sources in the prevention and treatment of brain tissue damages and different diseases caused by oxidative stress.

Antioxidant capacity of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) - comparison between permanganate reducing antioxidant capacity and other antioxidant methods.

Ethanol extracts (80% in water) of 10 cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) genotypes were studied for antioxidant properties, using methods including DPPH(), ()NO, O(2)(-) and ()OH antiradical powers, FRAP, total phenolic and anthocyanin content (TPC and ACC) and also one relatively new, permanganate method (permanganate reducing antioxidant capacity-PRAC). Lipid peroxidation (LP) was also determined as an indicator of oxidative stress. The data from different procedures were compared and analysed by multivariate techniques (correlation matrix calculation and principal component analysis (PCA)). Significant positive correlations were obtained between TPC, ACC and DPPH(), ()NO, O(2)(-), and ()OH antiradical powers, and also between PRAC and TPC, ACC and FRAP. PCA found two major clusters of cornelian cherry, based on antiradical power, FRAP and PRAC and also on chemical composition. Chemometric evaluation showed close interdependence between PRAC method and FRAP and ACC. There was a huge variation between C. mas genotypes in terms of antioxidant activity.