Evaluation of antioxidant and free-radical scavenging potential of Artemisia absinthium.

Context: Currently there has been an increased global interest to identify antioxidant compounds for use in preventive medicine and the food-industry that are pharmacologically potent and have low or no side effects. As plants produce significant amount of antioxidants to prevent oxidative stress, they represent a potential source of new compounds with antioxidant activity.

Objective: The current study was designed to evaluate the methanol extract of Artemisia absinthium Linn. (Asteraceae; MAB) for its in vitro free-radical scavenging effects using different classical assays, and in vivo antioxidant activity using global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R)-induced oxidative stress in mice.

Materials And Methods: The in vitro scavenging activity was studied on the superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl, nitric oxide radical, and reducing power. Further, in the in vivo studies, the animal model of global cerebral I/R was established by occluding the bilateral carotid artery for 15 min followed by 24-h reperfusion. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) content were determined by colorimetric assays.

Results: In the in vitro assays, methanol extract of A. absinthium showed significant (p<0.05) superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl and nitric oxide radical scavenging activities, and significant reducing power. Furthermore, in the in vivo studies, oral administration of MAB (100 or 200 mg/kg) inhibited cerebral I/R-induced oxidative stress by decreasing TBARS, and restoring levels of SOD and GSH.

Conclusion: The results indicated that A. absinthium possess potent antioxidant properties, and may be used as a protective agent against disorders associated with oxidative stress.