Plant Extracts Impact on Lipid Peroxidation And Gsh Level in Mice Brain

Abstract

Introduction. Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum) are widely grown in most European countries and very popular in Lithuania. The biochemical constituents of their fruits are polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, organic and phenolic acids. Due to the high content of anthocyanins, black currants have high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Red oranges are popular worldwide and belong to the sweet orange species (Citrus sinensis X). They distinguish from oranges by the presence of pigmentation-causing anthocyanins in their flesh and sometimes in the peel of the fruit. Biologically active compounds such as: anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids are found in them. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules and can damage cell structures such as carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins and alter their functions. Aerobic organisms have integrated antioxidant systems, which include enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants that are usually effective in blocking harmful effects of ROS. By the way, one of the possibilities to reinforce antioxidant system and reduce lipid peroxidation is plant extract food supplementations. Objective. This study was performed to evaluate the antioxidant effects of red orange and blackcurrant extracts on the brain of laboratory mice. Methods. Experiments were performed on outbred white laboratory mice by changing drinking water with red orange and blackcurrant extract solutions. Exposure time was 21 days. Lipid peroxidation level was estimated spectrophotometrically by measuring the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) produced by reaction with TBA at 535 nm and 520 nm light wavelengths. The concentration of antioxidant reduced glutathione (GSH) was measured spectrophotometrically by reaction with DTNB to give compound TNB, which absorbs light wavelength at 412 nm. Results. Experiments showed that GSH concentrat [...].