Antimutagenic and antioxidant activity of Ficus benghalensis stem bark and Moringa oleifera root extract

Abstract

Objective: To investigate antimutagenic and antioxidant potency of the aqueous heat treated Ficus benghalensis stem bark (FBH) extract and Moringa oleifera root (MRH) extract against sodium azide in TA100 tester strains of Salmonella typhimurium and their inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation (LPO). Methods: Mutagenicity was assayed by the standard Ames test (standard plate incorporation assay) and antioxidant potency was investigated by employing ex vivo inhibition of lipid peroxidation in liver Microsomes. Results: Both FBH and MRH showed strong antimutagenic effect on S. typhimurium TA100 strains against sodium azide (NaN3). IC50 values of aqueous extract of FBH and MRH extracts were 70.24 mg/ml and 99.20 mg/ml respectively. FBH extract showed maximum inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation responses than MRH. IC50 values of aqueous extract of FBH and MRH extracts were 80.24 mg/ml and 92 mg/ml respectively. FBH and MRH exhibited a dose dependent antioxidant activity. Conclusion: The aqueous heat-treated FBH and MRH have antimutagenic as well as antioxidant activity. Further studies are in progress to evaluate the effect of both extracts by other antioxidant and antimutagenic assays and to identify the factors responsible for these activities.