亚洲传统医药

Abstract: Toddalia asiatica is used in the treatment of diseases like paralysis, malarial and intermittent fever, dyspepsia, colic, diarrhea, cough, bronchitis, nausea, wounds, contaminated ulcers, epilepsy, gonorrhoea and general debility. It is known as Kanchana in Sanskrit. In the present study, the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of the roots of Toddalia asiatica was investigated. The test extracts exhibited potential scavenging effects on DPPH, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide free radicals. The in vivo antioxidant activity was investigated using Wistar albino rats. Oxidative stress was induced by oral administration of CCl₄ (0.5 ml/ p.o.) for seven days and the CCl₄ decreased hepatic levels of reduced glutathione, proteins, antioxidant enzymes viz. peroxidase, catalase, super oxide dismutase, and increased the formation of malondialdehyde in untreated positive control animals. Toddalia asiatica extracts significantly increased the hepatic levels of reduced glutathione, proteins, antioxidant enzymes and decreased lipid peroxidation. This shows that the free radical scavenging/antioxidant activity of T. asiatica roots may be responsible for its therapeutic effect on tissue damage.

Key words: Antioxidant activity, roots, Toddalia asiatica