Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis

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The antioxidative activity of saponin from Aralia taibaiensis

GUO Yu1YANG Pei2,ZHOU Xue-ying2,HAI Chun-xu2,QIN Xu-jun2,*,LI Jin-gang1,*   

  1. 1. School of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062; 2. Department of Toxicology, School of Preventive Medicine, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2013-04-09 Revised:2013-06-12 Online:2013-07-30 Published:2013-07-30
  • Contact: QIN Xu-jun,E-mail:qinxujun@hotmail.com; LI Jin-gang,E-mail:jingang@snnu.edu.cn

Abstract:

 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antioxidative effect of saponin from Aralia taibaiensis,and provide some basic data for its further application in the prevention and treatment for oxidative stress-related diseases. METHODS: The total antioxidant capacity of saponin was determined by ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) method. In the cellular study,tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) was employed as an oxidant to induce oxidative stress,and saponin (5 μg/mL) was pre-incubated with the cells 12 h before challenged by tBHP in the protective group. Then cellular ROS was labeled with DCFH-DA and determined by flow cytometry. The protein levels of nuclear respiratory factor 2 (Nrf2),heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1),γ-glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL) were evaluated by Western blot. RESULTS:The saponin showed marked antioxidative effect. tBHP induced massive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production,for which saponin pre-treatment showed significant inhibition. Saponin pre-treatment also significantly inhibited the tBHP-stimulated protein expressions of Nrf2,HO-1 and GCL. CONCLUSION:Saponin from Aralia taibaiensis has potent antioxidative activity,indicating its potential clinical application in oxidative stress-related diseases.

Key words:  Aralia taibaiensis, antioxidative, reactive oxygen species, saponin, nuclear respiratory factor 2