Acetone Extract fromRhodomyrtus tomentosa: A Potent Natural Antioxidant

Abstract

Rhodomyrtus tomentosa(Myrtaceae) has been employed in traditional Thai medicine to treat colic diarrhoea, dysentery, abscesses, haemorrhage, and gynaecopathy. In addition, it has been used to formulate skin-whitening, anti-aging and skin beautifying agents. Ethnomedical activities of this plant may be due its antioxidant property. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate bothin vitroandin vivoantioxidant activities ofR. tomentosaleaf extract.In vitroantioxidant activity of the extract was assessed by lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and metal chelating activity.R. tomentosaextract demonstrated its free radical scavenging effects in concentration dependent manner.In vivoantioxidant activity of the extract was conducted in SwissAlbinomice. Levels of thio-barbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), and the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in blood, liver, and kidney were analyzed using microtitre plate photometer. Administration of CCl4caused significant increase in TBARS and decrease in GSH, SOD, CAT and GPx levels. In contrast,R. tomentosaextract (0.8 g/kg) effectively prevented these alterations and maintained the antioxidant status. The results suggest thatR. tomentosaextract can serve as a potent antioxidant.