Abstract

Antioxidants play an important role in inhibiting and scavenging radicals, thus providing protection to humans against infectious and degenerative diseases. Literature shows that the antioxidant activity is high in medicinal plants. Realizing the fact that, this study was carried out to determine the antioxidant activity of water extract ofAcanthopanax senticosus. Water extract (0.5 g/50 ml) of A. senticosus (ASE) were prepared and total phenol contents (TPC) and radical scavenging activity (RSA) of the extracts was determined for antioxidant activity. The TPC and RSA of ASE were 366.67 μM and 67.67%, respectively. In addition, the effect of ASE on DNA damage induced by H₂O₂ in human lymphocytes was also evaluated by Comet assay. The ASE showed strong inhibitory effect as its concentration increased from 0.125 to 1% by 65 to 81% against DNA damage induced by 200 μM of H₂O₂. These results suggest that water extract of commercial dried A. senticosus for tea showed significant antioxidant activity and protective effect against oxidative DNA damage.

Key words: Acanthopanax senticosus, antioxidant, total phenol contents, DPPH, DNA damage, comet assay.