An evaluation of in vitro and in vivo free radical scavenging and antioxidant potential of ethanolic extract of Pergularia daemia

Oxidative stress plays a major role in developing chronic, degenerative, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases caused by excessive production of reactive oxygen species. To combat against this oxidative induced free radical generation, many antioxidant compounds have been explored. In the present study, the antioxidant potential of traditional herb, Pergularia daemia (PD) was explored by invitro and invivo methods. The invitro analysis was done by determining the total antioxidant capacity, DPPH, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant capacity using spectrophotometry. Invivo study was done by pre-treating wistar strain albino rats with ethanolic extract of PD and exposing them to acute noise stress using a pure tone noise from a function generator for 45 min for 1 day. The discrete brain regions were dissected and the brain enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, vitamin C and lipid peroxidation were analyzed. Results of invitro analysis revealed that PD extract exhibited a potent antioxidant capacity, scavenged the DPPH, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide and reduced the ferric ions to ferrous form in a dose dependent manner. Animals exposed to acute noise stress for 45 min showed a significant increase in plasma corticosterone and significantly increased the superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase activity and lipid peroxidation in cerebral cortex, striatum, hippocampus and hypothalamus and decreased the reduced glutathione and vitamin C levels in all the four discrete regions of the brain. PD treatment significantly prevented those acute noise stress induced changes and restored it to normal.