Antioxidative Activities and Inhibition Effects on Oxidative DNA Damage of Valeriana fauriei

Abstract

Background: Valeriana fauriei (Valerianaceae) has been used to as a traditional medicine to treat a variety of symptoms, including headache, insomnia, hypertension, and menstrual irregularity. However, the present study investigates the species' antioxidant activity and its inhibition of oxidative DNA damage, which have yet to be studied. Methods and Results: The antioxidant activity was assessed using radical scavenging assays with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and, 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6 sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and a reducing power assay. The total phenol content was also analyzed, and phenolic compounds were detected using HPLC/UV, whereas the inhibitory effect of Valeriana fauriei on oxidative DNA damage was measured using φ-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity were 75.17 ± 3.55% and 95.83 ± 0.63%, repectively, and the reducing power was 93.14 ± 1.74 at 200 ㎍/㎖. The total phenol content was 10.24 ± 0.04㎎/g, whereas chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid and epicatechin were identified using HPLC/UV, and the φ-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay indicated that V. fauriei provided protection against oxidative damage. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that V. fauriei has powerful antioxidant activity that can provide protective effects against the oxidative DNA damage caused by free radicals. The species, therefore, provides a valuable resource for the development of natural pharmaceutical to treat aging, cancer, and degenerative diseases.