Chemical composition, antioxidant potential, macromolecule damage and neuroprotective activity of Convolvulus...

Herbal medicines are known to mitigate radical induced cell damage. Hence identification and scientific validation of herbal medicines contribute to better use in Ayurvedic/Unani research. In the present study, we investigated antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties of Convolvulus pluricaulis (C. pluricaulis). C. pluricaulis exhibited antioxidant potential evident by free radical scavenging activities. C. pluricaulis pretreatment inhibited H₂O₂ induced macromolecule damage such as plasmid DNA damage and AAPH induced oxidation of bovine serum albumin and lipid peroxidation of rat hepatic tissues. Further to identify the neuroprotective properties of C. pluricaulis, SHSY5Y cells were treated with H₂O₂ with or without pretreatment of C. pluricaulis. The C. pluricaulis pretreatment at 50 μg/ml dose exhibited 50% cell survival against 100 μM H₂O₂ challenge for 24 h and it also decreased the lactate dehydrogenase leakage. Further C. pluricaulis pretreatment restored and regulated the antioxidant and apoptosis markers such as SOD, CAT, p53, and caspase-3 and inhibited, reactive oxygen species generation and depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. C. pluricaulis possess a high content of flavonoids and polyphenols and GC-MS and FTIR analysis showed a wide variety of compounds which may contribute to the observed effects.