Antioxidant Activity of Puha (Sonchus oleraceus L.) as Assessed by the Cellular Antioxidant Activity (CAA) Assay

Abstract

There is considerable interest in antioxidant dietary components that can be protective against degenerative diseases in humans. Puha (Sonchus oleraceus L.) is a rich source of polyphenols, and exhibits strong antioxidant activity as measured by the 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. However, the potential of puha to protect against degenerative diseases requires that low molecular weight antioxidants (LMWA) are absorbed by, and active in, human cells. The cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay was used to investigate the antioxidant activity of puha leaf extracts. Preparation methods of freezing and freeze-drying reduced the total polyphenolic content compared with fresh puha, but did not affect the LMWA potential as determined by the DPPH assay. The IC(50) values were 0.012 ± 0.003 mg/mL and 0.010 ± 0.005 mg/mL for freeze-dried and fresh puha leaves, respectively. Using the CAA assay, it was shown that LMWAs from foliar extracts of puha were effectively absorbed into HepG2 cells, and exerted antioxidant activity at levels comparable to those of extracts from blueberry fruits, the much-touted antioxidant superfood. Methylene blue staining of HepG2 cells indicated that puha extracts were not cytotoxic at concentrations below 100 mg DW/mL. The data indicate the potential of puha as a nutraceutical supplement for human health.

Allelopathic effects of Sonchus oleraceus L. on the germination and seedling growth of crop and weed species

“…Nevertheless, the scope of S. oleraceus use has been limited to a few areas, such as medicine, where it is as an active ingredient in the field of phytotherapy due to its antioxidant activity (McDowell et al 2011), and pest (insect) control (El-Kamali 2009). With the exception of a study demonstrating that S. oleraceus presents toxicity against Artemia salina (Lima et al 2009), there have been no studies of its allelopathic potential.…”

Isolation of a new bioactive cinnamic acid derivative from the whole plant of Viola betonicifolia

“…Oxidative stress due to free radicals formation has been recognized in the pathophysiology of several chronic pathological complex conditions such as atherosclerosis, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and cancer [32][33][34] . Therapeutic modality that has the tendency to counteract these agents are extensively used in combination therapy for the effective management of such conditions 35,36 . Glycation is the non-enzymatic combination of sugar molecule with protein amino acid or lipid resulting product is called advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs).…”

Characterization, Preparation, and Purification of Marine Bioactive Peptides

“…However, since the concentration of H 2 O 2 is not clear, this method should have a preliminary experiment. Another effective cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay is also related to HepG2 cells [25, 28], and the CAA assay is considered a superior indicator of in vivo activity compared with in vitro assays because it involves the exposure of the antioxidants to the complexity of biological substrates under physiological conditions [29]. Certainly, the best antioxidant assays are from animal models and human studies [30], but they are expensive, time-consuming, and not suitable for the initial screening [24].…”