Reagents, samples and standards
Flavonoids Standards (Quercetin, Rutin, Luteolin and Vitexin), DPPH(1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical), 2,2-azinobis- (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) were purchased from Sigma–Aldrich (Mumbai-India). Trolox (6-hydroxy-2, 5, 7, 8-tetramethylchroman-2- carboxylic acid), sodium bisulfite and formic acid were from Himedia AG (Mumbai-India). Xanthine oxidase (source: microorganisms), xanthine and Allopurinol was obtained from Himedia Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India. All other chemicals used in the study were obtained commercially and were of analytical grade.
Plant materials
The plants Asparagus racemosus, Withania somnifera, Vitex negundo, Plumbago zeylanica, Butea monosperma and Tephrosia purpurea were collected during the period of July to November, 2011 from local forest Nanded, India and botanically authenticated by Dr. C.N.Khobragade, School of Life Sciences, SRTM University, Nanded and deposited in department. The roots were separated, air dried over 4 days in shade and used for further analysis.
Extraction of plant materials
1 Kg of each plant roots were shade dried for a week, grinded by using mortar and pestle. The finely powdered samples were extracted with water, methanol: water (1:1, v:v) mixture, methanol and ethyl acetate using a mechanical shaker and Soxhlet apparatus for 4 hours. The resultant extracts were placed in an ultrasonic bath (Sonorex, model RK 512 H, Badelin, Germany) at 60 °C for 15 min and then centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 5 min (BioEra Instruments, Mumbai).
Animals
Sprague–Dawley rats (150–175 g) were procured from the animal house, Maharashtra Institute of Pharmacy, Pune. They were kept in the departmental animal house at 26 ± 2 °C and relative humidity 44–56%, light and dark cycles of 10 and 14 h respectively for one week before and during the experiments. Animals were provided with standard rodent pellet diet (Amrut, India) and the food was withdrawn 18–24 h, before the experiment though water was allowed ad libitum. All studies were performed in accordance with the guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals, as adopted and promulgated by the Institutional Animal Ethical Committee, MIP/IAEC, India (Reg. No. MIP/IAC/09-10/M1/004).
High Performance Thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)
HPTLC was performed on silica gel 60 f
254, 20X10 cm HPTLC plates (Merck, Germany-#5642), with ethyl acetate: methanol: formic acid: water [20:2.5:0.5:2 (v/v)] as a mobile phase. The standard (Quercetin, Rutin, Luteolin and Vitexin) solutions (5.0 µL of each concentration 1 mg/mL) were applied to the plates as 10 mm bands, sample application with CAMAG-Linomat IV automated spray on band applicator equipped with a 100 µL syringe and operated with following settings: band length 10 mm, application rate 10 sec/ µL, distance between 4 mm, distance from the plate side edge1.5 cm and distance from the bottom of the plate 2 cm (
10,
14). CAMAG TLC Scanner 3 was used to densitometrically to quantify the bands using WIN CATS software (Version 4 X). The scanner operating parameters were: (Mode: absorption / reflection; Slit dimension; 5 x 0.1 mm; scanning rate: 20 mm/s and monochromator band width: 20 nm at an optimized wavelength 254, 366 nm and in visible range).
Total polyphenol content
Total polyphenol content was measured using Folin Ciocalteu colorimetric method described previously by Gao
et al., (2000) (
15). Quantification was done with respect to the standard curve of gallic acid. The results were expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE), mg/100g of dry weight (dw). All determinations were performed in triplicate (n = 3).
Total flavonoid content.
Flavonoids were quantified using aluminium chloride reagent. 1 mg/mL of root extract samples was dissolved in methanol, 1 mL of AlCl
3 (2%) in methanol was added, and after incubation for 10 min, the absorbance was measured at 430 nm. The analyses were replicated (n = 3), and the contents given as mean values, plus or minus the standard deviation. Flavonoids were measured as quercetin equivalents and expressed as milligrams of each compound per 100 g of dry weight (dw) of plant root extract (
16).
Ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay
Total antioxidant potential of a sample was determined using the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP assay) as a measure of antioxidant power. The assay was based on the reducing power of a compound (antioxidant). A potential antioxidant will reduce the ferric ion (Fe
3+) to the ferrous ion (Fe
2+); the latter forms a blue complex (Fe
2+/TPTZ), which increases the absorption at 593 nm. Briefly, the FRAP reagent was prepared by mixing acetate buffer (300 lM, pH 3.6), a solution of 10 µM TPTZ in 40 µM HCl, and 20 µM FeCl
3 at 10:1:1 (v/v/v). The reagent (300 µL) and plant root extracts (100 µg/mL) were added to each well and mixed thoroughly. The absorbance was taken at 593 nm after 10 min. Standard curve was prepared using different concentrations of trolox. All solutions were used on the day of preparation. The results were corrected for dilution (
e.g. to 1000 mL) and expressed in l M trolox per 100 g dry weight (dw). All determinations were performed in triplicates (
17).
DPPH antioxidant assay
DPPH radical-scavenging activity was determined using the method. DPPH (100 µM) was dissolved in pure ethanol (96%). The radical stock solution was prepared fresh daily. The DPPH solution (1 mL) was added to 1 mg/mL of root extracts with 3 mL of ethanol. The mixture was shaken vigorously and allowed to stand at room temperature in the dark for 10 min. The decrease in absorbance of the resulting solution was monitored at 517 nm at 10 min. The results were corrected for dilution and expressed in µM trolox per 100 g dry weight (dw). All determinations were performed in triplicate (
18).
ABTS antioxidant assay
The free radical-scavenging activity was determined by ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. ABTS was dissolved in water to a 7 µM concentration. ABTS radical cation (ABTS
.+) was produced by reacting ABTS stock solution with 2.45 µM potassium persulfate (final concentration) and kept in the dark at room temperature for 12–16 h, before use. The radical was stable in this form for more than two days, when stored in the dark at room temperature. For the study of infusion, the samples containing the ABTS
.+ solution were diluted with redistilled water to an absorbance of 0.7 (±0.02) at 734 nm and equilibrated at 30
0C. A reagent blank reading was taken (
A0). After addition of 3.0 mL of diluted ABTS
.+ solution (
A734nm = 0.7±0.02) to 30 µg/mL of root extracts, the absorbance reading was exactly 6 min after initial mixing (
At). The results were corrected for dilution and expressed in µM trolox per 100 g dry weight (dw). All determinations were performed in triplicate (
19). Rats were grouped into four groups (six animals in each group). The first group served as normal control and received 1% CMC (10 mL/Kg b.wt/day, p.o.). The second group served as negative control (CCl
4 treated). The third group supplemented with each plant root extracts (50 and 100 mg/Kg b.wt/day respectively, p.o.) for 14 days. Fourth group was treated with standard vitamin E orally for 14 days at a dose of 50 mg/Kg b.wt/day (p.o.). The animals of all groups except first were administered simultaneously CCl
4: liquid paraffin (1:1, 2 mL/Kg b.wt/day, s.c.) on alternate days after 30 min of administration of the each plant extracts and vitamin E. Twenty four hours after the last dose of CCl
4 animals were sacrificed. Liver was dissected out from each animal and used for biochemical investigations. Liver homogenate 10.0% (w/v) was prepared with 0.15 M KCl and centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 15 min. The homogenate supernatant was used for the biochemical estimation. LPO was estimated by standard method of Ohkawa
et al., (1979) and results are expressed as nmole of MDA formed/mg protein (
20). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was estimated by the inhibition of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced)- phenazine methosulphate–nitro blue tetrazolium reaction system as adapted by Kakkar
et al., (1984) (
21). The results have been expressed as units (U) of SOD activity/mg protein. Catalase was estimated by following the breakdown of H
2O
2 and expressed as l mole of H
2O
2 consumed/mg protein (
22). Glutathione (GSH) level was determined according to the method of Ellmann (1959) (
23).
In-vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity
The XO activity was assayed spectrophotometrically under aerobic conditions using plant extracts. The assay mixture consist of 1 mL of root extract solution of each plant, and standard drug allopurinol (25, 50, 75, and 100 µg/mL), 2.9 mL of phosphate buffer (pH 7.5), and 0.1 mL of enzyme solution (0.01 units/mL in phosphate buffer, pH 7.5) was added, which was prepared immediately before use. After pre incubation at 25 0C for 15 min, the reaction was initiated by the addition of 2 mL of substrate solution (150 mM xanthine in the same buffer). The assay mixture was incubated at 25 0C for 30 min. The reaction was then stopped by the addition of 1ml of 1N hydrochloric acid, and the absorbance was measured at 290 nm using a UV spectrophotometer. A blank was also prepared in the same way, but the enzyme solution added to the assay mixture after adding 1N hydrochloric acid. The assay was done in triplicate. One unit of XO is defined as the amount of enzyme required to produce 1 mmol of uric acid per min at 25 0C. XO activity was expressed as the percentage inhibition of XO in the above assay system, calculated as, % Inhibition = (A − B) − (C − D) A − B × 100
Where
A is the activity of the enzyme without test extract,
B the control of
A without test extract and enzyme,
C and
D are the activities of the test extract with and without XO. Allopurinol (10, 25, 50 and 100 µg/mL), a known inhibitor of XO, was used as a positive control. IC
50 values were calculated from the mean values of data (
24).
Statistical analysis
Values were represented as mean±S.D and data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s test. P < 0.001 was considered significant.