IN VIVO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF LIMNOPHILA HETEROPHYLLA AND MICHELIA CHAMPACA

Objective: The present study was aimed at investigating the in-vivo antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts of Limnophila heterophylla and Michelia champaca leaves.Methods: Methanol extract of both plants were administered to rats separately at three different doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg for 21 d to evaluate oxidative stress parameters such as ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) and to evaluate antioxidant enzyme levels of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD).Results: The methanol extracts of both the plants significantly (p<0.05) elevated the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) on days 7, 14 and 21 of treatment. Significant (p<0.05) decrease of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) levels along with an increase in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme level in the liver and kidney at three different doses both the plants was observed. Treatment at a dose of 500 mg/kg b. w of both plants caused a significant increase only in the level of CAT in the liver and kidney. However, there was no significant effect of a thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the heart and reduced glutathione (GSH) level in liver, heart and kidney at three different doses both the plants.Conclusion: These outcomes recommend that the leaves of Limnophila heterophylla and Michelia champaca have a potent antioxidant activity which may be responsible for some of its reported pharmacological actions.Â