Thunbergia laurifolia Leaf Extract Increased Levels of Antioxidant Enzymes and Protected Human Cell-Lines In Vitro Against Cadmium.

Marasri Junsi,Worapong Usawakesmanee,Alan Slusarenko,Sunisa Siripongvutikorn,Chutha Takahashi Yupanqui

doi:10.3390/antiox9010047

Marasri Junsi, Worapong Usawakesmanee + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9010047

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Abstract

Thunbergia laurifolia or Rang Jued has been used as an herbal tea and in folk medicine as a detoxifying agent. Cd contamination is globally widespread and a serious public health problem. The aim of this study was to determine the endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) production of the crude dried extract (CDE) of T. laurifolia leaves, using human embryonic kidney (HEK293) and human liver (HepG2) cells as in vitro models. Moreover, the cytotoxicity including anti-cadmium (Cd) toxicity in both cells were measured. The experimental design had 3 treatment groups with combined, pre-, and post-treatments for investigating the anti-Cd toxicity, and cell viability was determined with MTT test (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide). The CDE showed low cytotoxicity and increased catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities with decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in both cell types. It was found that the CDE protected against Cd-induced toxicity in both cell types, and a synergistic combination therapy effect was seen when CaNa2EDTA, a chelating agent, was applied. Therefore, CDE can protect against Cd-induced oxidative stress in cells, possibly due to its antioxidant properties. Moreover, using the extract or drinking the herbal tea together with chelating agent should have an efficacy advantage over using the CDE or the chelating agent singly.

Highlights

Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous chemical element to most living cells, those of the higher animals and humans
T. laurifolia leaves collected at a developing or an intermediate stage which can be folded without brittle breaking were directly purchased from a farmer (Bangkhen, BKK, Thailand), and transported to the laboratory within 24 h
T. laurifolia leaves were removed from climber, washed with tap water, drained and air dried, for 5–8 d to a moisture content of 8–10% (w/w), ground to a fine powder passing through 20–40 mesh, and stored in dark bottles at room temperature up to use within

Summary

Introduction

Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous chemical element to most living cells, those of the higher animals and humans. Accumulation of Cd can be found in almost all types of animal tissues, especially kidney as it is a major target organ [3,4]. Numerous scientific studies have shown that Cd is harmful through various mechanisms, involving disruption of cell adhesion, disruption in cellular signal transduction and apoptosis, inhibition of DNA repair including activity of cellular antioxidant enzymes leading to the loss of balancing between antioxidant enzyme and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and result in oxidative stress in cell [5,6,7]. Oxidative stress is a condition associated with an increased rate of cellular damage induced by the ROS and oxidized active molecules (O2 , O2 − , OH, H2 O2 ).

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