Russo Alessandra, Izzo Angelo A, Borrelli Francesca, Renis Marcella, Vanella Angelo
Department of Biochemistry, Medical Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy.
Phytother Res. 2003 Sep;17(8):870-5. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1061.
Bacopa monniera L. (family Scrophulariaceae) (BM) is an Ayurvedic medicine, clinically used for memory enhancing, epilepsy, insomnia and as a mild sedative. In this work, the free radical scavenging capacity of a methanol extract of BM and the effect on DNA cleavage induced by H2O2 UV-photolysis was investigated. In addition, we examined whether this plant extract is capable of reducing the hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage in human non-immortalized fibroblasts. It showed a dose-dependent free radical scavenging capacity and a protective effect on DNA cleavage. These results were confirmed by a significant protective effect on H2O2-induced cytoxicity and DNA damage in human non-immortalized fibroblasts. The antioxidant capacity of BM may explain, at least in part, the reported antistress, immunomodulatory, cognition-facilitating, antiinflammatory and antiaging effects produced by it in experimental animals and in clinical situations and may justify further investigation of its other beneficial properties. Moreover, this experimental evidence suggests that because of its antioxidant activity, this Ayurvedic drug may be useful in the treatment of human pathologies in which free radical production plays a key role.
假马齿苋（玄参科）是一种阿育吠陀药物，临床上用于增强记忆、治疗癫痫、失眠，并作为一种温和的镇静剂。在这项研究中，研究了假马齿苋甲醇提取物的自由基清除能力以及对H2O2紫外线光解诱导的DNA裂解的影响。此外，我们还研究了这种植物提取物是否能够降低过氧化氢诱导的人非永生化成纤维细胞的细胞毒性和DNA损伤。它表现出剂量依赖性的自由基清除能力，并对DNA裂解具有保护作用。这些结果通过对H2O2诱导的人非永生化成纤维细胞的细胞毒性和DNA损伤的显著保护作用得到证实。假马齿苋的抗氧化能力至少可以部分解释其在实验动物和临床情况下所报道的抗应激、免疫调节、促进认知、抗炎和抗衰老作用，并可能证明对其其他有益特性进行进一步研究的合理性。此外，该实验证据表明，由于其抗氧化活性，这种阿育吠陀药物可能对治疗自由基产生起关键作用的人类疾病有用。
