Purpose:
To evaluate the lipid peroxidation inhibiting and
glutathione-sparing activities
(i.e., antioxidant effect) of Diospyros preussi
seed oil in male Wistar albino rats.
Methods:
The n-hexane extract of the seed (seed oil) of
Diospyros preussi (DP) was tested for its
antioxidant properties against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced
oxidative stress in male Wistar albino rats by
evaluating its lipid peroxidation inhibition and
glutathione-sparing activity (free radical scavenging
effect). Vitamin E, at a dose of 4 ml/kg body weight,
was used reference. These parameters were determined in
vivo by assaying the levels of thiobarbituric acid
reactive substance (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH)
in the serum of exposed and normal Wistar albino rats.
Results:
At doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg of DP seed oil, the
values of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS,
(0.80 ± 0.04 and 0.72 ± 0.01 µg/ml, respectively) were
not significantly different (p < 0.05) from the TBARS
level of 0.83 ± 0.03 µg/ml induced by the reference,
Vitamin E. Animals treated with 1000, 500 and 200 mg/kg
doses of DP seed oil manifested glutathione levels of
206.7 ± 6.5, 188.0 ± 4.7 and 156.0±7.6 µg/100 ml of
serum, respectively. These levels were
significantly different from each other at p < 0.05 as
well as the level (138.7 ± 8.0/100 ml) produced by the
reference, Vitamin E.
Conclusion:
The results indicate that DP seed oil significantly
protected the rats from H2O2-induced
oxidative stress. Furthermore, its antioxidant effect is
dose-related.
Keywords:
Seed oil; Diospyros preussi; (H2O2)-induced
oxidative stress; Antioxidant effect, Vitamin E; Lipid
peroxidation inhibition; Glutathione-sparing activity
