Abstract
Juniperus phoenicea (J. phoenicea) is a wild tree belonging to the Cupressaceae family, commonly used for the treatment of several disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the potential protective effects of J. phoenicea hydroethanolic extract (EtOH-H2OE) against oxidation, acute inflammation, and pain in mice models. For the purpose, chemical compounds of J. phoenicea EtOH-H2OE were also analyzed by GC-MS. The J. phoenicea EtOH-H2OE showed a potent antioxidant activity in vitro, thanks to its richness in phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Mice treated with EtOH-H2OE (100 mg/kg BW) showed reduced paw oedema formation and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The evaluation of antioxidant enzyme activities in paw oedema tissue after five hours of carrageenan induction showed a significant increase (P < 0.05). Inflammatory biomarkers explorations of J. phoenicea EtOH-H2OE-treated mice showed a restoration of the studied parameters to near-normal values. Furthermore, EtOH-H2OE of J. phoenicea produced a significant reduction of the number of abdominal writhes (P < 0.05) in a dose-dependent way. Phytochemical analysis of the J. phoenicea EtOH-H2OE by GC-MS showed the presence of hexadecanoic and stearic acids known as anti-inflammatory and analgesic compounds. Our investigation provided evidence that J. phoenicea EtOH-H2OE can effectively reduce the inflammation and pain in mice models.
Highlights
Medicinal plants have been used in traditional health care systems since prehistoric civilizations
Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) are the main endogenous enzymes involved in protecting aerobic cells from the noxious effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
The phytochemical screening of hydroethanolic extract of J. phoenicea leaves revealed the presence of various secondary metabolites such as terpenoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, and anthraquinones, while glycosides were not detected in the tested extract (Table 1)
Summary
Medicinal plants have been used in traditional health care systems since prehistoric civilizations. The antioxidant compounds derived from plant extracts could be a solution to overcome diseases, caused by oxidative stress, such as inflammation [2]. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) are the main endogenous enzymes involved in protecting aerobic cells from the noxious effects of ROS. They give protection by directly scavenging superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide, converting them into stables species [10]. In addition to the enzymatic/nonenzymatic cellular antioxidant defense system’s protective effects, natural products having antioxidant activities may lead to delaying the oxidative stress and inflammatory tissue damage by enhancing the cell/tissues defenses [12]
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