Study of effect of Astragalus vulpinus extract on lipid peroxidation processes in hypothalamic region on lipopolysaccharide immune stress model

Abstract

An experimental study is devoted to the study of the effect of Astragalus vulpinus extract on lipid peroxidation processes in the hypothalamic region under conditions of lipopolysaccharide immune stress. Material and methods. Experiments were performed on white male rats 6-8 months of age. In all series of experiments, animals were divided into groups (n = 10): 1st – control individuals receiving distilled water in an equivalent volume; 2nd – rats with immune stress model; 3rd – individuals treated with Astragalus vulpinus extract against the background of immune stress. The test extract and distilled water were administered once a day intragastrically with a 50 mg/kg probe for 14 days. Immune stress was formed by single intraperitoneal administration of lipopolysaccharide pyrogenal isolated from Salmonella typhi microbial cells. The intensity of free radical oxidation processes was studied by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content, spontaneous and ascorbate-dependent lipid peroxidation rate and catalase activity were also determined. Results. According to the results of the experiment, it was revealed that immune stress is accompanied by the activation of free-radical oxidation processes, as evidenced by an increase in the concentration of products of this process and the activity of the body’s antioxidant protection enzyme catalase. Assessment of the effect of Astragalus vulpinus herb extract on the free radical potential in the hypothalamic region against the background of the action of lipopolysaccharide-induced immune stress showed that the studied extract exhibits pronounced stress-protective and antioxidant properties characterized by changing the intensity of lipid peroxidation processes and by increase of catalase activity in the tissue of the hypothalamic brain region. Conclusions. Astragalus vulpinus herb extract has been proven to exhibit antioxidant effects by restoring activity of free radical processes.