OXIDATIVE DNA DAMAGE PROTECTIVE AND HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF TERMI-NALIA BELLERICA (BAHEDA)

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the ethanolic extracts of Terminalia bellerica for its in vitro DNA damage protective activity against hydroxyl radical (OH•) and hepatoprotective activity against CCl4 induced toxicity in HepG2 liver cells.Methods: The DNA damage assay was performed using supercoiled pBR322 plasmid DNA with Fenton’s reagent. Protection of human liver-derived HepG2 cells against CCl4 induced damage was determined by trypan blue exclusion assay and Tetrazolium bromide salt MTT assay. Liver cells were pre-exposed to 0.5 µmol/ml of CCl4 for 60 min at room temperature and screening assay was carried out in HepG2 cells to evaluate the cytotoxicity of tested extracts with concentration 0.001 to 100 µg/ml.Results: The low dose (0.001-0.1 µg/ml) of leaf and bark has an effect on the percentage viability (101±4.04) and 97±4.04) for leaf and bark extracts respectively) of HepG2 cells. Whereas, the percentage cell viability 99±2.89 and 103±4.04 were found for fruit pulp and seed extracts respectively. The uniform DNA damage protective activity was observed in a dose-dependent manner for leaf, fruit pulp, seed and bark extracts of T. bellerica. Conclusion: Leaf and bark of T. bellerica exhibit 10 fold less toxicity compared to fruit pulp and seed during CCl4 exposure on HepG2 cells suggesting that leaf and bark has more therapeutic potential against hepatotoxicity.