Antioxidant, free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective potential of the extract from Parathelypteris nipponica (Franch. et Sav.) Ching

Aim of the study: The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant, free radical scavenging, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory potential of Parathelypteris nipponica (Franch. et Sav.) Ching. Methods and results: Antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of Parathelypteris nipponica (Franch. et Say.) Ching (TMPN) was studied using in vitro and in vivo models, total flavonoids content in TMPN was found to be 262 +/- 5.6 mg/g (w/w). The TMPN exhibited strong antioxidant activity with EC50 values in reductive ability (0.18 +/- 0.02 mg/ml) and ferric thiocyanate (FTC) assay (0.10 +/- 0.01 mg/ml), strong free radical scavenging activity as evidenced by the low EC50 values in DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) (2.00 +/- 0.02 mg/ml), superoxide anion (0.60 +/- 0.05 mg/ml), OH radicals (0.26 +/- 0.03 mg/ml), and hydrogen peroxide (0.45 +/- 0.03 mg/ml) methods. Acute toxicity study revealed that the LD50 value of the extract was more than the dose 2000 mg/kg bodyweight of mice. Hepatoprotective activity of TMPN was determined by the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative tissue injury in rat liver, the extract showed significant hepatoprotective activity that was evident by enzymatic examination and histopathological study. In assessing anti-inflammatory activity the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema test was used, the extract reduced carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema in dose-dependent manner, achieving high degree of anti-inflammatory activity. Conclusion: This study provides a scientific basis for the ethnomedical claims that Parathelypteris nipponica (Franch. et Say.) Ching is effective against inflammation and liver injury. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.