Efficacy of golden rain tree against free radicals and H2O2-induced damage to pUC18/calf thymus DNA

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the antioxidant and genoprotective potential of the methanol extract (METH–KP) along with its hexane fraction (HEX–KP) from the leaves of Koelreuteria paniculata (K. paniculata) Laxm. MethodsThe antioxidant potential was checked using metal chelation assay, ABTS, DPPH (2,2–diphenyl–2–picryl–hydrazyl), reducing power and superoxide anion radical scavenging assay, Folin–Ciocalteu reducing capacity (FCR assay), Total flavonoid content (TFC assay) and genoprotective activity against the DNA damage induced by Fenton's reagent using pUC18/calf thymus. ResultsResults showed that radical scavenging activities of the both test extract/fraction revealed a concentration-dependent antiradical activity in all the assays. In Metal chelation assay, METH–KP and HEX–KP showed 39.04% and 32.51% of scavenging at highest tested concentrations. The METH–KP exhibited IC50 of 54.54 μg/mL in ABTS, 115 μg/mL in DPPH, 110 μg/mL in reducing power and 135 μg/mL in superoxide anion radical scavenging assay while that HEX–KP was found to be very poor in radical scavenging in all the above assays. The phytochemical analysis showed good amount of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in METH–KP while the HEX–KP fraction lacks phenols. The METH–KP extract and HEX–KP fraction both showed DNA protective effect in Calf thymus/pUC18 DNA protection studies. ConclusionsThe activity of METH–KP may be attributed to its polyphenolic constituents which needs further isolation of its active constituents which may lead to the development of novel drugs to combat cancer.