Moringa oleifera trees grow well in Jamaica and their parts are popularly used locally for various purposes and ailments. Antioxidant activities in Moringa oleifera samples from different parts of the world have different ranges. This study was initiated to determine the antioxidant activity of Moringa oleifera grown in Jamaica. Dried and milled Moringa oleifera leaves were extracted with ethanol/water (4:1) followed by a series of liquid–liquid extractions. The antioxidant capacities of all fractions were tested using a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. IC50 values (the amount of antioxidant needed to reduce 50% of DPPH) were then determined and values for the extracts ranged from 177 to 4458 μg/mL. Extracts prepared using polar solvents had significantly higher antioxidant capacities than others and may have clinical applications in any disease characterized by a chronic state of oxidative stress, such as sickle cell anemia. Further work will involve the assessment of these extracts in a sickle cell model of oxidative stress.

BackgroundChronic inflammation is a characteristic of sickle cell disease (SCD), and is invariably associated with vascular endothelial injury. Hydroxyurea (HU), a naturally cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent, is the only FDA drug approved for SCD, and is therefore naturally cytotoxic. Quercetin (QCT) is a dietary flavonoid found ubiquitously in plants and foods that have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Our hypothesis is that dietary QCT will decrease cytotoxic effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and HU induced vascular cell damage.MethodsLipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce inflammation in immortalized mouse aortic endothelial cells (iMAECs), providing an in vitro model of inflamed endothelial cells. The cells were exposed to LPS throughout the entire experiment. Interventions included treating the LPS exposed cells with QCT, HU, or QCT + HU over 50 hours. The 50-hour period included 24 hours of varying treatments, followed by two hours of hypoxic exposure and then 24 hours under normal aerobic exposure.ResultsLDH level was significantly higher for LPS treated versus untreated cells (P = 0.0004). LPS plus 30 micromole QCT reduced the LDH (p = 0.1, trend), whereas LPS plus 100 micromoles HU, significantly increased LDH (p = 0.0004). However, LPS plus treatment with 30 micromoles QCT/100 micromoles HU, significantly reduced LDH, compared with HU alone (p = 0.0002).DiscussionThese results suggest that quercetin may be effective against vascular endothelial cell damage for iMAECs in vitro. In particular, it shows promise in preventing HU-induced cytotoxicity, surprisingly found from these results. This latter finding is important, and should be given more consideration, since HU is the only FDA-approved drug for treating sickle cell patients, and its use is rapidly increasing.