A Natural Herbal Beverage Exhibits Significant Cytoprotection and Promotes Nrf-2 Activation in Cells

Oxidative stress is a central feature of chronic diseases including cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, the aging process, and exposure to environmental toxins. Therefore, activating cytoprotective defense mechanisms through natural, non-toxic nutritional interventions might provide an important avenue for improving human health. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of an herbal-rich beverage (Cleanse For Life [CFL]) in both homogeneous solutions and in cellular models of oxidative stress and toxicity using HepG2 and human prostate PWR-1E cells. In solution, CFL scavenged hydroxyl (IC50: 50.4 μg/ml), ABTS+(IC50: 124.7 μg/ml), and DPPH (IC50: 256 μg/ml) free radicals while demonstrating metal-chelating activity toward ferric ion (IC50: 60.5 μg/ml). In HepG2 cells, CFL (10-100 μg/ml) dose-dependently inhibited H2O2-induced oxidative stress (21-67%, p蠄0.001). CFL (10-25 μg/ml) also decreased expression of cytochrome P450s E1 (up to 30%) and A1/A2 (up to 46%) but significantly increased expression of...