BackgroundPhytochemicals like carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbates and phenols present in the plants are strong antioxidants and have an important role in the health care system. There is growing interest in correlating the phytochemical constituents of a plant with its pharmacological activity. Therefore, the present study investigates the content of total phenolics, flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of four different varieties of Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) leaves by using in vitro antioxidant models.MethodsThe leaves of Chandigarh purple variety (CPV), Palampur red variety (PRV), Chandigarh yellow turning pink variety (YTPV) and Chandigarh yellow variety (CYV) Lantana camara were collected and the total phenolic, flavonoid content, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities were determined in their methanolic extracts.ResultsThe phenolic content was found to be highest in the CYV extract (232.99 ± 15.97 mg GAE/ g extract). The content of the flavonoids are in the order of YTPV, PRV, CPV and CYV. The IC50 values for the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging test were in the order of CYV (33.30 ± 2.39) < PRV (40.32 ± 2.94) < YTPV (475.33 ± 5.20) < CPV (927.16 ± 2.88 μg/mL). The highest total antioxidant capacity was observed in CYV (222.20 ± 5.05 mg AAE/ g). The Ferric ion reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) value of the extracts were in the order of CYV > PRV > YTPV > CPV. The IC50 values of 2, 2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) scavenging assay for CYV, PRV, YTPV, CPV were 18.25 ± 0.19, 18.24 ± 1.82, 50.43 ± 9.49, 52.84 ± 1.82 μg/mL respectively. PRV extract showed the maximum in vitro lipid peroxidation inhibition effect with an IC50 value of 68.50 μg/mL which is even stronger as compared to the standard Rutin (79.69 μg/mL). The extracts showed a strong correlation between the phenolic content and their antioxidant activities. The highest correlation (r = 0.998, R2 = 0.997) was found between total phenolic content and ABTS scavenging assay.ConclusionAmong the four varieties investigated, CYV and PRV extracts showed strong antioxidant activities and may be used as a potential source of natural antioxidant against free radical associated diseases.

Background: Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae), a widely growing shrub which is toxic to some animal species, has been used in the traditional medicine for treating many ailments. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the antimotility effects of Lantana camara leaf constituents in mice intestine.

For a long time, aluminium (Al) has been considered an indifferent element from a toxicological point of view. In recent years, however, Al has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several clinical disorders, such as dialysis dementia, the fulminant neurological disorder that can develop in patients on renal dialysis. In the present study, the effect of chronic oral administration of Al on certain biochemical parameters of brain homogenate has been investigated. The feeding of test diet for 6 wk resulted in a decrease of thiols, glutathione reductase (GR), and adenosine Triphosphatase (ATPase). A nonsignificant decrease in peroxidation and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was also detected in the Al-treated rats. From this study, it can be concluded that oxidative stress is produced by the metal.

The effect of dietary fats on the chemical composition and enzyme activities has been studied in intestinal brush border membranes (BBM) of rats. Animals were given commercial rat pellet diet (RP) or semisynthetic diet rich in either saturated [coconut oil (CCO)] or polyunsaturated [n-6, corn oil (CO) or n-3, fish oil (FO)] fat at the 10% level for 5 weeks. The membrane cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was augmented in CO- or RP-fed rats. There was an increase in level of saturated fatty acids in BBM from CCO- or FO-fed animals, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content was raised in FO-fed rats, while the proportion of linoleic acid and arachidonic acid was enhanced in animals given a CO diet. Membrane fluidity was in the order of CCO < RP = CO < FO. The membrane hexose content was high (p < 0.05) in the CCO group. Hexosamines were elevated (p < 0.05) in CCO- or FO-fed rat brush borders. Membrane fucose was unaltered, while sialic acid content was elevated in CO- (p < 0.05) and FO- (p < 0.01) fed vs. CCO-fed rats. Lectin binding to brush borders corroborated these findings. The activities of alkaline phosphatase, sucrase and lactase were augmented (p < 0.001) in CCO-fed animals. Leucine-aminopeptidase and sucrase activities were depressed by FO feeding. The activities of PNP-β-glycosidases were the highest in FO-fed rats. These results indicate that dietary fat quality markedly affects microvillus membrane lipid composition, glycosylation and enzyme functions in rat intestine.

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