Antioxidant activity of Hypericum androsaemum infusion: Scavenging activity against superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2002

Authors

Valentao, P (Author) FFUP; Fernandes, E (Author) FFUP; Carvalho, F (Author) FFUP; Andrade, PB (Author) FFUP; Seabra, RM (Author) Other; Bastos, MD (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin

Vol. 25

Pages: 1320-1323

ISSN: 0918-6158

Publisher: Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 80 Citations

Scopus - 93 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-MRS

DOI: 10.1248/bpb.25.1320

Abstract (EN): Hypericum androsaemum is a medicinal plant species containing many polyphenolic compounds, namely flavonoids and phenolic acids. Since polyphenolic compounds have high antioxidant potential, the ability of H. androsaemum infusion to act as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid) was investigated. Superoxide radical was generated by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase and phenazine methosulphate/NADH systems. The infusion-mediated prevention of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by the superoxide radical was used as the measured endpoint. Hydroxyl radical was generated by the Fe3+- EDTA/ascorbate Fenton system, and assayed by evaluating deoxyribose degradation using the thiobarbituric acid method. Hypochlorous acid scavenging activity was tested by measuring the inhibition of hypochlorous acid-induced 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid oxidation to 5,5-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). The tested infusion mainly exhibited a potent scavenging effect on superoxide radicals (although a noncompetitive inhibitory effect on xanthine oxidase was also observed). The infusion also acted as a moderate scavenger of hydroxyl radicals and hypochlorous acid. A phytochemical study of the infusion was also undertaken, and nine phenolic compounds were identified.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 4