Decalepis hamiltonii roots boost antioxidant status of rat liver and brain

BACKGROUND: Roots of Decalepis hamiltonii are traditionally consumed as pickles and juice for their health benefits. We have
earlier demonstrated the antioxidant property of the root extract and identified the constituent antioxidant molecules.
RESULTS: This paper reports the effect of multiple-dose (7, 15, and 30 days) treatment of Decalepis hamiltonii aqueous
root extract (DHA) (50 and 100 mg kg−1 body weight) on the antioxidant profile of rat liver and brain. Activities of the
antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR),
and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were increased and glutathione content was elevated in both liver and brain, apart from
reduction in the basal level of lipid peroxidation. DHA induced stronger antioxidant boost in brain by increasing the activities
of SOD, CAT, and GPx compared to liver.
CONCLUSION: As failure to grapple with oxidative stress is an important factor in the etiology of several diseases, DHA’s effects
on improvement of antioxidant status could provide a scientific justification for the health-promoting properties attributed
to it.