To determine the total phenolic content, Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and gallic acid were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich; Merck KGaA. Furthermore, trichloroacetic acid TCA and 2-thiobarbituric acid TBA were obtained from Merck KGaA. and 2,2'-azobis 2-amidinopropane dihydrochloride AAPH from Sigma-Aldrich; Merck KGaA.

With respect to the tested cell line, EA. hy endothelial cells were donated by Professor George Koukoulis University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.

For cell cultures, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium DMEM , fetal bovine serum FBS , phosphate-buffered saline PBS and trypsin-EDTA solution 0. Finally, to determine the intracellular GSH and ROS levels, mercury orange and 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate DCF-DA were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich; Merck KGaA.

All solvents were of analytical grade. To prepare herb decoction extracts, 2 g of dry herb leaves were added to ml tap water, followed by boiling for 3 min. Subsequently, the boiled samples were allowed to stand for 5 min.

The resulting decoction was filtered, followed by lyophilization of the total filtrate. The yield of the products following extraction is presented Table SI.

The lyophilized product was used to prepare the final decoction in which the polyphenolic content and bioactivity were evaluated. The TPC of the samples was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent.

Briefly, 1 ml dH 2 O, µl Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and 20 µl of each sample were added to test tubes and the mixture was incubated for 3 min at 25˚C under dark conditions. A test tube containing Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and dH 2 O was used as a blank.

Furthermore, MeOH was used as a blank and the free radical solution alone in MeOH was used as a control.

To compare the radical scavenging efficiency of the different herb decoctions, an IC 50 half maximal inhibitory concentration value was estimated. For each experiment, the mixture without HRP was used as a blank, while the mixture without the tested sample was used as a control.

Finally, an IC 50 value was estimated to compare the RSC of the different herb decoctions. The superoxide anion radical scavenging ability of the herb decoctions was assessed using the method of Gülçin et al 20 with some modifications The system of PMS, NADH and NBT was used for the generation of superoxide radicals.

Briefly, µl NBT µM , µl NADH µM and 50 µl of the tested samples at various concentrations were added to a test tube containing µl Tris-HCl buffer 16 mM, pH 8.

The reaction began following the addition of µl of PMS 60 µM to the mixture. A vigorous vortex followed, as well as a 5-min incubation at room temperature.

In each experiment, a sample without PMS and the tested sample was used as a blank, while a sample without the sample was used as a control. The superoxide anion RSC of the tested samples was calculated using the equation described above.

Eventually, an IC 50 value was estimated to compare the radical scavenging efficiency of the different herb decoctions. The reducing power capacity was determined according to the method described in the study by Yen and Duh 21 with minor modifications Briefly, 50 µl of the tested samples at different concentrations were mixed with µl of phosphate buffer 0.

The reaction mixture was placed in a dry bath incubator at 50˚C for 20 min. The samples were then placed on ice for an additional 5 min. Subsequently, µl of the supernatant were transferred to new test tubes and µl dH 2 O and 50 µl ferric chloride 0.

The mixtures were incubated at room temperature for 10 min. An AU 0. The assay was performed using a procedure previously described 22 with some modifications as reported by Priftis et al It should be noted that a negative control consisting of plasmid DNA and PBS, and a positive control containing plasmid DNA, PBS and AAPH were also used.

Subsequently, 3 µl loading buffer bromophenol blue 0. The samples ran at 80 V for 55 min. The acquisition of images was achieved using a MultiImage Light Cabinet Alpha Innotech Corporation. Finally, the Alpha View suite was used to analyze the UV exposed gels.

Additionally, S control represents the percentage of the supercoiled DNA in the negative control. An IC 50 value was determined to compare the efficacy of different herb decoctions against the peroxyl radical-induced DNA damage. Following the cell-free based assays and the characterization of the antioxidant properties of the tested herb decoctions, the four most potent herb decoction extracts were assessed for their cytotoxic and intracellular antioxidant properties in the EA.

hy cell line. hy is a stable human endothelial cell line derived by hybridizing human umbilical vein endothelial cells, namely human umbilical vein endothelial cells HUVECs , with the A human lung carcinoma cells.

According to the international guidelines on good cell culture practice 24 , the cell line used was checked for mycoplasma using PCR and it was mycoplasma-free. Briefly, 10 4 cells were seeded into a well plate with their respective complete medium. Following a h incubation, the cells were treated with increasing concentrations of the Epirus herb decoctions in serum-free medium for an additional 24 h.

Subsequently, 50 µl of the XTT test solution were prepared by mixing 50 µl XTT-labeling reagent with 1 µl XTT activator, and 50 µl of the XTT test solution were added to each well. Following a 4-h incubation, the optical density was measured at and nm reference wavelength using a microplate reader Bio-Tek ELx; Bio-Tek Instruments, Inc.

Cell cultures in serum-free medium were used as a negative control. Moreover, the absorbance of every tested sample concentration alone in serum-free medium and XTT test solution was also measured at nm using a plate reader EL; BioTek Instruments, Inc.

The absorbance values that were obtained in wells that contained only herb decoctions extracts were subtracted from the ones that acquired from wells that contained the respective extract concentration and seeded cells.

All experiments were carried out in duplicate and at least on two separate occasions. The culture medium was then removed and replaced with serum-free medium containing the herb decoction extracts tested at different concentrations.

Following a h incubation, the cells were trypsinized, collected and washed twice following consecutive centrifugations at x g for 10 min at 5˚C. After each centrifugation the supernatant was discarded, and the cellular pellet was resuspended in PBS.

The fluorescent mercury orange binds directly to GSH, whereas DCF-DA is deacetylated by esterases within the cells, and is further converted to fluorescent DCF by the oxidative action of ROS.

A µM stock solution of mercury orange was created in acetone and stored at 4˚C, while a fresh µM stock solution of DCF-DA was prepared in methanol.

Following incubation, the cells were washed with PBS to remove the excess dye, centrifuged x g, 10 min, 4˚C and resuspended in PBS. The cells were then submitted to flow cytometric analysis using a FACSCalibur flow cytometer BD Biosciences with excitation and emission length at and nm for ROS, and at and nm for GSH.

Forward angle and right-angle light scattering representable of the cells size and cell internal complexity, respectively, were measured.

Data were analyzed using BD Cell Quest software 6. Each experiment was repeated at least three times. For in vitro cell-free based assays, an IC 50 or AU 0.

Each experiment was conducted in triplicate and on two separate occasions. As regards the cell culture experiments, duplicates of the cell replicate and two separate occasions were used. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett's tests for multiple pairwise comparisons, using the statistical package SPSS version Initially, the TPC of all the herb decoction extracts, that were supplied to us by Epirus local producers, was determined.

According to the results, the highest polyphenolic content was observed in the sage extract Salvia officinalis ; code John's wort Hypericum perforatum ; codes 4 and 19 , rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis ; code 45 , spearmint Mentha spicata , code 28 , hawthorn Crataegus monogyna , code 23 , garden thyme Thymus vulgaris ; code 40 , ironwort Sideritis scardica ; code 2 , lemon beebrush Aloysia citrodora ; code 18 and pennyroyal Mentha pulegium , code 14 Table I.

Total phenolic content, IC50 and AU0. Among these, lemon beebrush Aloysia citrodora ; code 18 , perforate St. John's wort Hypericum perforatum ; code 4 , and rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis ; code 45 were also rich in phenol content, as described above. In the superoxide assay, the extract that was derived from sage Salvia officinalis ; code 13 displayed the highest efficacy 6.

Even though the sage extracts from different producers had a high polyphenolic content, their efficacy to scavenge superoxide anion was diminished. Subsequently, basil Ocimum basilicum , The extract that exhibited the highest reducing power capacity was the one derived from lemon beebrush Aloysia citrodora ; code 18, 3.

Subsequently, an increased reducing power was exerted by both garden thyme Thymus vulgaris ; 4 and 6. More specifically, the garden thyme extract with code 40 was one of the highly enriched in polyphenol extracts among the ones we tested.

All extracts that derived from oregano had robust reducing power capacity ranging from 5. Furthermore, three out of the four sage extracts and all three lemon balm Melissa officinalis ; codes 8, 21 and 22 extracts exhibited an almost similar reducing power capacity 6.

Four of the extracts that displayed the highest cell-free antioxidant capacity in the methods tested were screened using the EA. hy cells for cytotoxicity and antioxidant-related parameters. More specifically, oregano Origanum vulgare ; code 46 , sage Salvia officinalis ; code 13 , lemon beebrush Aloysia citrodora ; code 18 and rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis ; code 32 extracts were the ones that were selected for more elaborate analysis for the determination of their in vitro cell-based antioxidant ability.

Initially, the authors wished to examine whether these four extracts exerted any cytotoxic effects. For this purpose, XTT cell proliferation assay was performed using EA.

hy cells. The Origanum vulgare decoction extract exhibited an IC 50 value of Finally, Rosmarinus officinalis decoction extract had an IC 50 value of hy cells, as assessed using XTT assay.

All symbols indicate the concentrations of the Epirus herb decoction extracts. Subsequently, the present study examined whether sublethal concentrations of the herb decoction extracts were able to alter the intracellular levels of GSH and ROS, since they both play crucial roles in physiology, particularly in cells with a cancerous profile.

The sublethal concentrations of all four herbs decoction extracts were unable to affect the ROS levels as compared with the control group Figs. On the contrary, three herb decoction extracts were able to decrease the GSH levels in the already intracellular distorted cancerous physiology in comparison with the control group.

The same effect was evident in treatments with lemon beebrush decoction extracts Aloysia citrodora , in which all concentrations tested reduced the intracellular GSH levels significantly.

On the contrary, all concentrations tested from rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis decoction extract did not affect the GSH levels. Effects of Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, Aloysia citrodora and Rosmarinus officinalis decoction extracts on ROS levels in EA. hy cells after 24 h.

ROS, reactive oxygen species. Effects of Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, Aloysia citrodora and Rosmarinus officinalis decoction extracts on GSH levels in EA.

GSH, glutathione. The present study aimed to determine the redox-related properties of well-known and routinely used herb decoctions derived from Epirus region, Greece, predominantly for their extensive use in everyday life, their integral part in human diet, and eventually for their potential exploitation as chemopreventive agents.

The results suggest the potent antioxidant activity of Epirus medicinal and aromatic herbs. The range of the TPC in the tested decoctions was from 0.

These levels differ compared to those in previous studies 26 , 27 , a discrepancy that may be attributed to the different extraction protocols, solvents, different microenvironment and cultivation processes used. Phenolic acids are a subclass of phenolic compounds, widely spread throughout the plant kingdom.

In the present study, considerable variation was detected in phenolic compounds content among the different herb species. The high level of diversity and complexity of the natural mixtures of phenolic compounds that are present in herb decoctions render difficult to characterize every compound, elucidate its structure, and attribute its activity.

Of note, further studies are required to identify the major groups and important aglycones of the phenolic compounds, allowing us to associate their presence with their enhanced activity like we have done in our previous study Nonetheless, several medical herbs have been studied and to some extent their phenolic chemistry is known The potent antioxidant potential that the polyphenolic compounds of the herb decoctions possess is a manifestation that has been already reported The chemical structure and type of the compounds, the level of substrate oxidation and the conditions of the oxidation process, constitute parameters that affect their activity These compounds consist of a hydroxyl group and play a major role in the antioxidant capacity because of their ability to release hydrogen and to form stable radical intermediates.

Moreover, the mechanism of their action mainly comprises neutralization of free radicals, enzyme induction and chelation of metal ions. The experiments performed in the present study clearly indicated that the extracts of Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, Rosmarinus officinalis and Aloysia citrodora possessed a potent antioxidant potential and may be stronger radical scavengers than the other tested Epirus herbs.

Given the fact that the aforementioned assays use both organic and water-based solvents, they allow for the evaluation if the antioxidant effect of both lipophilic and hydrophilic polyphenols 32 , Even though the oregano Origanum vulgare decoction extract exhibited a potent scavenging ability against superoxide radical, the highest efficiency was achieved by the sage Salvia officinalis decoction extract.

Flavonoids contained in this herb extract have also been previously reported for their effectiveness against superoxide anions 34 , that have been proven to harm cellular components 35 , predominantly lipids, as they are involved in initiation of the lipid peroxidation process Lemon beebrush Aloysia citrodora exhibitd the highest reducing power capacity among herbs tested, serving as a significant indicator of its potential antioxidant activity.

The reducing capacity composes a distinct mechanism by which antioxidants exert their activity together with chain initiation, decomposition of peroxides, reducing capacity and radical scavenging A previous study also suggested that the ability of plant-derived decoctions to act as reducing agents and free radical scavengers or as quenchers of singlet oxygen formation was probably attributed to their potent antioxidant effectiveness in vitro In consonance, some authors have ascertained the fact that phenolic compounds are able to chelate metal ions and report that intracellular binding of iron is responsible for the protection offered by flavonoids against H 2 O 2 -induced DNA damage DNA damage, as defined by strand breakage in response to oxidative stress, was most effectively inhibited with the rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis decoction extract.

The results obtained herein correspond with those of other studies examining the antioxidant properties of the medicinal and aromatic herbs Origanum vulgare , Aloysia citrodora, Salvia officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis.

Taken together, their beneficial properties have been basically attributed to their major chemical compounds, such as carvacrol, thymol, diterpenes and carnosol In particular, Origanum vulgare extract exhibits antioxidant and antibacterial activities, mostly attributed to its carvacrol and thymol content 41 , Furthermore, the antioxidant potential of Aloysia citrodora was evaluated in several scientific studies that have demonstrated the strong activity of this plant 43 , Additionally, decoctions derived from organ shoots and hairy roots and undifferentiated cell and callus cultures of Salvia officinalis , as well as from shoots and roots of in vitro regenerated plants, as well its chemical components, were evaluated for their antioxidant properties using several in vitro models 45 , The beneficial effects of this plant herb have been attributed to its main chemical constituents, including diterpenes, carnosol and carnosic acid, as well as to its essential oil components In the global literature, there is a constant debate as to the plant herb biologically active substances that can affect the activity and metabolism of cells.

Cell-free methodologies are able to provide valuable preamble data concerning their efficacy; however, cell-based in vitro experiments are also used to minimize the mechanistic limitations of protocols using cell-free systems.

Using cell lines integrates a spectrum of protective mechanisms represented by a shield of important cellular molecules against oxidants toxic effects that cell-free methodologies do not contain and examine. Hence, in the present study, the four decoction extracts that exhibited the most potent antioxidant activity in cell-free methodologies Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, Aloysia citrodora and Rosmarinus officinalis were examined for their redox-related properties using human endothelial EA.

The high energy demand of cancer cells, and concomitantly, their intense metabolic rates lead to abundant ROS production in the cellular environment, derived primarily from the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum. Albeit the continuous and elevated ROS levels can result in the death of normal cells, through the induction of oxidative stress, the high rate of ROS generation in cancer cells is compensated by the equally high activation of the respective antioxidant mechanisms Considering that the nuclear transcriptional factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 NRF2 , enhances cell survival under oxidative stress conditions, its overactivation enables cancer cells to take advantage over the normal ones In the case that the elevated levels of ROS cannot be alleviated, the cancer cells are vulnerable to cell death mediated by oxidative stress In this context, strategies related to intracellular ROS generation or target endogenous antioxidant mechanisms have been tested as potential anticancer therapies 50 , As regards the polyphenol activity, it is known that these molecules exert a biphasic effect; at low concentrations, they act as antioxidants, whereas at high concentrations, they promote elevated oxidation that results in cytotoxicity To address the above, the present study evaluated the cytotoxicity exerted by the four most potent decoction extracts in order to determine the effects of non-cytotoxic concentrations of these on the intracellular GSH and ROS levels.

The assessment of the effects of the extracts on the antioxidant capacity of endothelial cells was based on the measurement of the GSH and ROS levels using flow cytometry. transsylvanica Schur ex Griseb. Antioxidants Pallag A, Bungau S, Tit DM, Jurca T, Sirbu V, Honiges A, Horhogea C Comparative study of polyphenols, flavonoids and chlorophylls in Equisetum arvense L.

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Int J Food Sci — Oliva E, Viteritti E, Fanti F, Eugelio F, Pepe A, Palmieri S, Compagnone D Targeted and semi-untargeted determination of phenolic compounds in plant matrices by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

J Chromatogr A Sadeghnia HR, Ghorbani Hesari T, Mortazavian SM, Mousavi SH, Tayarani-Najaran Z, Ghorbani A Viola tricolor induces apoptosis in cancer cells and exhibits antiangiogenic activity on chicken chorioallantoic membrane. Biomed Res Int Download references. Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Food Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Słoneczna 45F, , Olsztyn, Poland.

Kamil Foss, Katarzyna E. You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar. Conceptualization, K. and T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Correspondence to Tomasz Sawicki.

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Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative. Download PDF. Abstract Herbs are characterized by a high content of biologically active substances that positively affect human health.

Antioxidants and antioxidant methods: an updated overview Article 16 March Essential oils of some medicinal plants and their biological activities: a mini review Article Open access 16 December Impact of different solvents on extraction yield, phenolic composition, in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of deseeded Opuntia stricta fruit Article Open access 17 February Use our pre-submission checklist Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction Herbs are defined as non-wood plants whose stems are not completely lignified. Materials and Methods The Materials and Methods section is presented as supplementary material. Results and Discussion Phenolic compounds occur in esters with carboxylic acids or glucose. TP and TF Contents in Selected Herbs The free and conjugated TP and TF contents determined in the extracts of tested herbs are presented in Fig.

Full size image. Conclusions This is the first study to present the composition of free and conjugated phenolic compounds in 10 different herbs. Total Phenolic Contents and Antioxidant Potential of Herbs Used for Medical and Culinary Purposes Article Open access 29 October Phenolic production and antioxidant properties of some Macedonian medicinal plants Article 15 August Unraveling the Phytochemical Profile Variability and Antioxidant Activities of Different Parts of Ammi visnaga L Collected from Taounate Region Article 02 August Data Availability All data generated or analyzed for this study are included in this published article.

Abbreviations AA: Antioxidant activity ABTS: Diammonium salt DPPH: 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl GAE: gallic acid equivalents TP: Total phenolic content TF: Total flavonoid content QE: Quercetin equivalents. References Asogwa IS, Ibrahim AN, Agbaka JI African baobab: its role in enhancing nutrition, health, and the environment.

e Thakur L, Ghodasra U, Patel N, Dabhi M Novel approaches for stability improvement in natural medicines. Farmacia — Google Scholar Nadia Z, Rachid M Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Thymus vulgaris L.

J Appl Res Med Aromat Plants —11 Google Scholar Isaia Oarcea AI, Cata A, Olah NK, Stefanut MN, Ienascu IMC, Bratosin D, Popoiu C Evaluation of antioxidant activity and phenolic content of 13 selected herbs from Romania.

Rev Chim Bucharest — Park JB Identification and quantification of a major anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory phenolic compound found in basil, lemon thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme. x Article CAS Google Scholar Oliva E, Viteritti E, Fanti F, Eugelio F, Pepe A, Palmieri S, Compagnone D Targeted and semi-untargeted determination of phenolic compounds in plant matrices by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Author information Authors and Affiliations Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Food Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Słoneczna 45F, , Olsztyn, Poland Kamil Foss, Katarzyna E. View author publications. Ethics declarations Ethics Approval Not applicable.

Consent to Participate Not applicable. Consent for Publication Not applicable. Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Supplementary Information. ESM 1 DOCX kb. Rights and permissions Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.

About this article. Cite this article Foss, K. Copy to clipboard. search Search by keyword or author Search. Navigation Find a journal Publish with us Track your research. rubescens have down regulated NO production with IC 50 values of less than 0.

Amongst all the plants, S. In order to understand the relationship between the antioxidant activities and polyphenolic content total phenolics and flavonoids , the selected 44 herbs have been classified into two groups based on the correlation between antioxidant activity and polyphenol content.

The remaining plants are classified as the second group which did not show a clear correlation between the antioxidant activity and their polyphenol content. The correlations observed in this study, for the first group of plants, are in good agreement with the literature reports that the polyphenolics are the major antioxidant compounds in medicinal plants [ 1 , 6 — 10 , 47 — 50 ].

Correlation between DPPH free radical scavenging activity and the total phenolics content in: A water extracts and C ethanol extracts. Correlation between DPPH free radical scavenging activity and total flavonoid content in: B water extracts and D ethanol extracts.

For example, V. coloratum , H. diffusa , L. japonicus , A. paniculata and P. lactiflora have displayed high antioxidant activity in both water and ethanol extracts, but contained low levels of phenolics and flavonoids.

Similar findings were recently reported by the authors in a separate publication [ 6 ]. These observations demonstrate that, in addition to polyphenols, other constituents such as trace metals contribute to the antioxidant activities of medicinal plants.

For instance, V. This is in agreement with the literature that Zn and Mg play crucial role in antioxidant mechanisms [ 51 — 53 ]. Similarly, H. paniculata showed good antioxidant activity with high levels of Zn, Mg, Mn and Se.

In many organisms, trace metals have been shown to act as co-factors of several antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase SOD , peroxidases POD , ascorbate peroxidase APX and other enzymes of ascorbate — glutathione pathway [ 54 ].

Therefore, the results obtained in this study strongly support trace metal involvement in antioxidant mechanisms. It is therefore hypothesized that the medicinal herbs display their antioxidant activities due to the combination of their total phenolics, flavonoids and the trace metal contents.

A brief description of this visualization scheme is given below. A diagrammatic visualization scheme for the correlation of antioxidant activities and antioxidant content. A Plants with high Antioxidant activity: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26, 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, and 43; B Plants with high antioxidant activity and also contain significant antioxidant constituents: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 23, 26, 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, and 43; C Plants with medium to high Phenolic content: 6, 13, 16, 20, 31, 33, 34, 41, 42, and 43; D Plants with medium to high Flavonoid content: 1, 4, 6, 8, 13, 16, 20, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 41, 42, and 43; E Plants with medium to high Trace metal content: 2, 5, 10, 14, 15, 18, 23, 26, 27, 28, 31, 34, 37, 39, 40, 41, and Overlaps between antioxidant content circles C, D, E and antioxidant activity circle B represent the activities with respect to the corresponding constituents.

Some of the plants exhibit their activity due to the presence of all of the three antioxidant constituents phenolics, flavonoids or trace metals. For instance, the plants R.

rubescens , S. suberectus and U. These findings further support the hypothesis that the medicinal herbs display their antioxidant activities due to the combination of their total phenolics, flavonoids and the trace metal contents.

It may be concluded from the above visualization scheme that the activities of 26 out of the 28 active plants could be explained in terms of their antioxidant content. Two of the plants, namely, C.

paniculatum and P. One of the reasons for this non-correlation is likely to be due to the fact that some of the polyphenols may be extremely active owing to their structural characteristics even if they are present in smaller quantities [ 1 ].

Other reason includes the occurrence of antioxidant constituents such as polysaccharides that are not investigated in this study. Several studies demonstrated that botanical polysaccharides possess strong antioxidant activities [ 55 — 57 ].

For instance, S. officinalis , D. indica , P. suffuticosa , U. Bioactive molecules isolated in the literature from some of these plants showed significant anti-inflammatory properties [ 58 , 59 ]. For example, Sanguiin H-6 and H isolated from S.

officinalis has decreased the expression levels of iNOS [ 58 ]. Rhyncophylline and isorhyncophylline are isomeric alkaloids from U. rhyncophylla showed inhibition activity against the NO production and proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β production in LPS induced mouse N9 microglial cells [ 59 ].

Forty-four selected medicinal plants have been investigated in this study for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Amongst these plants, two distinct groups have been identified in terms of the correlation of antioxidant activities and their antioxidant contents. The observed biological activities of all the plants including those in the second group, could clearly be explained when trace metal content was considered together with polyphenols content.

Amongst all the selected plants, L. miltiorrhiza, S. suberectus, T. farfara and U. rhyncophylla showed significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities with very low toxic effects.

Consequently, the isolation of bioactive compounds from these target plants is underway in our laboratory. Cai Y, Luo Q, Sun M, Corke H: Antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of traditional Chinese medicinal plants associated with anticancer.

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Dysentery and diarrhea are treated by taking the leaf powder orally. Stomach problems are treated using the stem. The bitter, alterative, and laxative roots are used to treat fevers, skin irritations, rheumatism, gout, syphilitic cachexia, and stomachaches in children.

The stems and roots extract is used as a sedative, hypotensive, cardiotonic, and anti-inflammatory agent Figure 9. These fruits of Cocculus hirsutus L Diels was extracted with acidified methanol and used for phytochemicals and antioxidant activity analysis This compound possess beneficial health properties like antioxidant activity, free radical scavengers, protective effect against cardiovascular diseases, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenesis properties.

Some fruits are good source of natural antioxidants including carotenoids, vitamins, phenols, flavonoids, dietary glucothionine and endogeneous metabolites and high level antioxidant capacity against free radical species, superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxides, nitric oxide and hydroxy radicals.

These natural anti-oxidant activities of fruits induce reduction of disease in human, protein against tourn development Swathi D, et al. Chemical constituents: Benincasa hispida fruits contains volatile oils, flavonoids, glycosides, sacchrides, proteins, carotenes, vitamins, minerals, β-sitosterin and uronic acid Al-Snafi AE, Medical and antioxidant properties: It is used for gastrointestinal problems, respiratory disease, heart diseases, diabetes mellitus and urinary diseases.

Fruits were traditionally used as a laxative, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac, cardiotonic, jaundice, dyspepsia, fever and mental disorders. It shows antioxidant, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiasthmatic, diuretic, nephroprotective, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and antimicrobial effects Figure The total phenolic content CSF denotes the antioxidant activity whereas DPPH and ABTS denote scavenging activity.

The ethanolic extract gives the highest ethanolic content and antioxidant activity Samad NB, et al. Chemical constituents: It consists of vitamins and bioactive secondary metabolite. The presence of bioactive constituents comprises alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenols, tannins.

The medicinal plants contained ascorbic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin Yu CX, et al. Medicinal and antioxidant property: The extract of S.

asper is applied to wounds and boils. The leaves and roots of the plant are used in indigestion and as a febrifuge, while its roots act as a vermifuge.

Its stems are given as a tonic and sedative. Antioxidant activities including scavenging effects and iron-chelating activities have been reported. The plants of this genus show in vitro antioxidants potential. The biological assays revealed diverse antioxidant effects for the tested extracts Xia DZ, et al.

In recent years, the search for non-toxic natural compounds with anti-oxidant and anti-hyperlipidemic characteristics has intensified.

Many plant species have antioxidant properties comparable to synthetic anti-oxidants such as Butylated Hydroxytoluene BHT and BHA , which are currently used as food additives. We present a comprehensive profile of 11 medicinal herbs about their antioxidant activity.

India is emporium of herbal medicinal plants. The antioxidant properties of some potent anti-oxidant are listed above which provides a glimpse on plants. This article is expected to be helpful in future studies concerning in vivo and in vitro studies for clinical and surgical studies.

We would like to thank our principal and faculties of Bapuji Pharmacy College, Shamanur Road, S. Lay-out, Davanagere, Karnataka, India. Received: Jun Accepted: Jul Published: Jul, DOI: Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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ARTICLE TOOLS Abstract How to cite this article. Review Article - Volume 13, Issue 7. View PDF Download PDF. Keywords Medicinal plants, Antioxidant property, Pharmacological activities. Submit Article. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. Customers like the quality, value, appearance and condition of the herbal supplement.

They mention that it's well worth the purchase, it' s all natural and that the expiry date is too short. AI-generated from the text of customer reviews. Customers are satisfied with the quality of the herbal supplement. They say it works well and is a good choice for their health. They recommend it to others and say it's well worth the purchase.

This is the ONLY product that worked. Including pharmaceutical drugs, like lisinopril. The dosage for polyphenol is mg out of mg grape seed , which is good, amount just right for daily consumption Highly recommend.

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And the price is quite high " Read more. Customers like the appearance of the herbal supplement. They say it's very nice and all natural. And it's all natural! Customers are satisfied with the effect of the herbal supplement on their skin.

They mention that it is a super antioxidant and great for anti-aging. can obtain it on sale, GNC Grape Seed Extract is a solid choice for increasing antioxidant levels in your system Would buy it again! Customers are dissatisfied with the condition of the herbal supplement. They mention that the product is expired and is going to expire in 8 months.

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List unavailable. Other Sellers on Amazon. Not added. Sold by: Silver Supreme Sales. Lung function was tested using spirometric parameters: higher parameters are indicative of increased lung function, while lower parameters are indicative of decreased lung function.

The study found that higher serum levels of alpha-tocopherol were associated with higher spirometric parameters and that high serum levels of gamma-tocopherol were associated with lower spirometric parameters. Though the study was observational in nature, it confirmed the mechanistic pathway of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol in mice studies.

When it comes to cancer prevention, the picture remains inconclusive for antioxidant supplements. Few trials have gone on long enough to provide an adequate test for cancer. High-dose antioxidant supplements can also interfere with medicines. Vitamin E supplements can have a blood-thinning effect and increase the risk of bleeding in people who are already taking blood-thinning medicines.

Some studies have suggested that taking antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment might interfere with the effectiveness of the treatment.

Inform your doctor if starting supplements of any kind. One possible reason why many studies on antioxidant supplements do not show a health benefit is because antioxidants tend to work best in combination with other nutrients, plant chemicals, and even other antioxidants.

For example, a cup of fresh strawberries contains about 80 mg of vitamin C, a nutrient classified as having high antioxidant activity. Polyphenols also have many other chemical properties besides their ability to serve as antioxidants.

There is a question if a nutrient with antioxidant activity can cause the opposite effect with pro-oxidant activity if too much is taken. This is why using an antioxidant supplement with a single isolated substance may not be an effective strategy for everyone.

Differences in the amount and type of antioxidants in foods versus those in supplements might also influence their effects.

For example, there are eight chemical forms of vitamin E present in foods. However, vitamin E supplements typically only include one form, alpha-tocopherol. Epidemiological prospective studies show that higher intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes are associated with a lower risk of chronic oxidative stress-related diseases like cardiovascular diseases , cancer, and deaths from all causes.

The following are nutrients with antioxidant activity and the foods in which they are found:. Excessive free radicals contribute to chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, cognitive decline, and vision loss. Keep in mind that most of the trials conducted have had fundamental limitations due to their relatively short duration and inclusion of people with existing disease.

At the same time, abundant evidence suggests that eating whole in fruits , vegetables , and whole grains —all rich in networks of naturally occurring antioxidants and their helper molecules—provides protection against many scourges of aging.

The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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Skip to content The Nutrition Source. The Nutrition Source Menu. Search for:. Home Nutrition News What Should I Eat? In , a rating tool called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity ORAC was created by scientists from the National Institute on Aging and the United States Department of Agriculture USDA.

It was used to measure the antioxidant capacity of foods. The USDA provided an ORAC database on its website highlighting foods with high ORAC scores, including cocoa, berries, spices, and legumes.

Blueberries and other foods topping the list were heavily promoted in the popular press as disease-fighters even if the science was weak, from cancer to brain health to heart disease. However, 20 years later the USDA retracted the information and removed the database after determining that antioxidants have many functions, not all of which are related to free radical activity.

Although this was not a primary endpoint for the trial, it nevertheless represents an important outcome. In the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation HOPE trial, the rates of major cardiovascular events were essentially the same in the vitamin E A recent trial of vitamin E in Israel, for example, showed a marked reduction in coronary heart disease among people with type 2 diabetes who have a common genetic predisposition for greater oxidative stress.

In the Supplementation en Vitamines et Mineraux Antioxydants SU. MAX study, 13, French men and women took a single daily capsule that contained mg vitamin C, 30 mg vitamin E, 6 mg beta-carotene, mcg selenium, and 20 mg zinc, or a placebo, for seven and a half years.

The vitamins had no effect on overall rates of cardiovascular disease. Lung disease A study from the Journal of Respiratory Research found that different isoforms of vitamin E called tocopherols had opposing effects on lung function. Cancer When it comes to cancer prevention, the picture remains inconclusive for antioxidant supplements.

MAX randomized placebo-controlled trial showed a reduction in cancer risk and all-cause mortality among men taking an antioxidant cocktail low doses of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium, and zinc but no apparent effect in women, possibly because men tended to have low blood levels of beta-carotene and other vitamins at the beginning of the study.

Age-related eye disease A six-year trial, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study AREDS , found that a combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc offered some protection against the development of advanced age-related macular degeneration, but not cataracts, in people who were at high risk of the disease.

However, relatively short trials of lutein supplementation for age-related macular degeneration have yielded conflicting findings. The study found that people taking the vitamins were less likely to progress to late-stage AMD and vision loss.

However, the study authors noted that taking lutein and zeaxanthin alone or vitamin E alone did not have a beneficial effect on these eye conditions. The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial SELECT Eye Endpoints Study, which followed 11, men for a mean of five years, did not find that vitamin E and selenium supplements, in combination or alone, protected from age-related cataracts.

It did not find that antioxidant supplements of vitamin E or selenium, alone or in combination, protected against dementia compared with a placebo. Early death A meta-analysis of 68 antioxidant supplement trials found that taking beta-carotene and vitamin A and E supplements increased the risk of dying.

It was also difficult to compare interventions because the types of supplements, the dosages taken, and the length of time they were taken varied widely. The same authors conducted another systematic review of 78 randomized clinical trials on antioxidant supplements including beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium alone or in combination.

The study found that both people who were healthy and those with diseases taking beta-carotene and vitamin E supplements had a higher rate of death. The duration of the studies varied widely from one month to 12 years, with varying dosages. The first inkling came in a large trial of beta-carotene conducted among men in Finland who were heavy smokers, and therefore at high risk for developing lung cancer.

The trial was stopped early when researchers saw a significant increase in lung cancer among those taking the supplement compared to those taking the placebo.

Again, an increase in lung cancer was seen in the supplement group.