Evaluation of Geriforte, an herbal geriatric tonic, on antioxidant defense system in Wistar rats

Geriforte, an herbomineral compound prepared from several herbs and minerals, is being used as a restorative tonic to solve the problems of old age in India. Since active oxygen species have been proposed to be involved in the aging process of the brain, alterations in the level of enzymes involved in the defense system against free radicals and other active oxygen species could substantially influence the aging process. Therefore, in the present study, this antistress adaptogenic Ayurvedic preparation has been evaluated for the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), key enzymes of the cellular defense system, in the brain of aging Wistar male rats. The present study was carried out on 22-month-old rats. They were given Geriforte powder orally at a dosage of 900 mg/kg body weight once a day for two months. The Geriforte-treated rat brain had significantly high levels of SOD and CAT activities than those recorded in their respective controls. The contents of SOD and CAT in Geriforte-administered brain increased by 24% and 30%, respectively. In the present investigation, free radical damage was assessed by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in postmitochondrial fractions of brain homogenate. The magnitude of TBARS has been reported to be decreased by 26% in the Geriforte-treated rat brain. In conclusion, it seems logical to suppose that Geriforte, a combination of several plant ingredients and minerals, protects the body against the damaging effects of free radicals by producing large amounts of antioxidant enzymes.