Abstract:
Medicinal plants are a valuable raw material for obtaining phytodrugs with a wide range of
pharmacological and therapeutic effects, which are acting fast, do not possess cumulative properties and are
less accompanied by undesirable side effects. Modern assessment of the species diversity of the medicinal
flora and its resource potential is especially important in designing an effective system that fights diseases
caused by oxidative stress. Thus, the purpose of scientific research is to study and establish a list of medicinal
plant extracts with strongest antioxidant and membrane-protective effect on liver cells exposed to oxidative
stress. Determination of medicinal plant extracts that exhibit highest antioxidant and membrane-protective
activities will allow us to use it in creating of an effective phytocomposition that would inhibit the action
of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and osmotic stress, which lead to excessive damage of cell constituents and
development of oxidative stress. For this purpose, LPO levels were detected by measuring malondialdehyde
concentration in the liver microsomes whereas the osmotic hemolysis was measured in a hypotonic solution
of 0.4% NaCl followed by optical density measurement at 540 nm. It was established that LPO levels in
liver microsomes as well as osmotic fragility of erythrocyte membranes are plant extract dose-dependent.
As a result, 3 out of 9 plant extracts have significant membrane-protective properties. Plants belong to
the families: Urtica dioica, Viola tricolor, Vacciniumvitis. In addition, Valeriana officinalis (leaves), Viola
tricolor, Limonium gmelini, Vaccinium vitis, Hypericumper foratum and Capsella bursa-pastoris showed
the strongest antioxidant property. All plant extracts contained such biologically active compounds as
polyphenols and flavonoids. Our results suggest further study of the antioxidant and membrane-protective
effects of medicinal plant extracts tested here may guide phytotherapy to development of new dosage
forms, and advance the development of unconventional therapeutic and preventive approaches against
oxidative stress related diseases.
