Evaluation of Antioxidant Effects and Inhibitory Activity of Medicinal Plants against Lipid Peroxidation Induced by Iron and Sodium Nitroprusside in the Mouse Brain

The present study compares the protective properties of aqueous extracts of five medicinal plants, Myristica fragrans, Illicium verum, Curculigo orchioides, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Embelia ribes against lipid peroxidation in mice brain. The antioxidant activities were analyzed by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical assay, lipid peroxidation assay and total antioxidant activity. The plant extracts exhibited inhibitions against thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) induced by pro-oxidant (10 mu M sodium nitroprusside or FeSO4) in mice brain. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was investigated by the scavenging of DPPH radical. All the extracts had shown high antioxidant activity and the order of their antioxidant activity was G. glabra>I. verum>C. orchioeides>E. ribes>M. fragrans. The inhibitory effect and antioxidant activity of under study medicinal plants may be due to presence of higher phenolic contents, free radical scavenging activity and reducing ability. These plants may be used to prevent oxidative stress in brain.