Department of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Bd. Carol I, No.11 20A, Iasi 700506, Romania.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Sep 1;137(1):585-91. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.06.008. Epub 2011 Jun 16.
While the Hibiscus asper Hook.f. (Malvaceae) is a traditional herb largely used in tropical region of the Africa as vegetable, potent sedative, tonic and restorative, anti-inflammatory and antidepressive drug, there is very little scientific data concerning the efficacy of this.
The antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities of the methanolic extract of Hibiscus asper leaves (50 and 100 mg/kg) were assessed using superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and catalase (CAT) specific activities, total glutathione (GSH) content, malondialdehyde (MDA) level (lipid peroxidation) and DNA fragmentation assays in male Wistar rats subjected to unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesion.
In 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, methanolic extract of Hibiscus asper leaves showed potent antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities. Chronic administration of the methanolic extract (50 and 100 mg/kg, i.p., daily, for 7 days) significantly increased antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, GPX and CAT), total GSH content and reduced lipid peroxidation (MDA level) in rat temporal lobe homogenates, suggesting antioxidant activity. Also, DNA cleavage patterns were absent in the 6-OHDA-lesioned rats treated with methanolic extract of Hibiscus asper leaves, suggesting antiapoptotic activity.
Taken together, our results suggest that the methanolic extract of Hibiscus asper leaves possesses neuroprotective activity against 6-OHDA-induced toxicity through antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities in Parkinson's disease model.
虽然芙蓉属植物（锦葵科）是一种传统草药，在非洲热带地区主要用作蔬菜、强效镇静剂、滋补剂和恢复剂、消炎药和抗抑郁药，但关于其疗效的科学数据却很少。
采用超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GPX）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）特异性活性、总谷胱甘肽（GSH）含量、丙二醛（MDA）水平（脂质过氧化）和 DNA 片段化测定法，评估芙蓉属植物叶片甲醇提取物（50 和 100mg/kg）对单侧 6-羟多巴胺（6-OHDA）损伤雄性 Wistar 大鼠的抗氧化和抗细胞凋亡活性。
在 6-OHDA 损伤大鼠中，芙蓉属植物叶片甲醇提取物显示出较强的抗氧化和抗细胞凋亡活性。慢性给予甲醇提取物（50 和 100mg/kg，腹腔注射，每日一次，连续 7 天）可显著增加大鼠颞叶匀浆中的抗氧化酶活性（SOD、GPX 和 CAT）、总 GSH 含量和降低脂质过氧化（MDA 水平），提示具有抗氧化活性。此外，在用芙蓉属植物叶片甲醇提取物治疗的 6-OHDA 损伤大鼠中，未见 DNA 断裂模式，提示具有抗细胞凋亡活性。
综上所述，我们的研究结果表明，芙蓉属植物甲醇提取物通过抗氧化和抗细胞凋亡活性对帕金森病模型中的 6-OHDA 诱导的毒性具有神经保护活性。
