Antioxidant Activities and Inhibitory Effects of Dietary Plants against Sodium Nitroprusside Induced Lipid Peroxidation in the Mouse Brain and Liver

The antioxidant properties of aqueous extracts of 6 medicinal plants, Phyllanthus emblica, Terminalia chebula (black and yellow), Terminalia arjuna, Balsamodendron Mukul, and Alium sativum against lipid peroxidation in mouse tissues were investigated. Extracts showed inhibition against thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) induced by pro-oxidant (5 µM sodium nitroprusside) in the mouse brain and liver. Extracts displayed high free radical scavenging activities against DPPH (IC50, 23.23±1.2 µg/ mL, P. emblica), 20.24±0.9 µg/mL (T. chebula yellow), 17.33±1.1 µg/mL (T. chebula black), 19.44±0.45 µg/mL (T. arjuna), 56.59±2.1 µg/mL (Balsamo-dendron Mukul), and higher than 200 µg/mL (A. sativum). Higher antioxidant and inhibitory effects of T. chebula black are attributed to a higher phenolic content, Fe(II) chelating ability, reducing ability, nitric oxide radical scavenging, and free radical scavenging activity. Oxidative stress in the brain and liver could potentially be managed/prevented by dietary intake of these plants.