Antioxidant activity of brahma rasayana.

Free oxygen radical scavenging activity of brahma rasayana (BR) was studied by in vitro and in vivo models. Addition of aqueous extract of BR was found to scavenge the lipid peroxides already present in rat liver homogenate (IC50 700 micrograms/ml) and inhibit the lipid peroxide generated by Fe(2+)-ascorbate (IC50 2600 micrograms/ml) and Fe(3+)-ADP-ascorbate system (IC50 1200 micrograms/ml). BR was found to scavenge the hydroxyl radical generated by Fenton reaction (IC50 7400 micrograms/ml) and superoxide generated by photoreduction of riboflavin (IC50 180 micrograms/ml). BR was also found to inhibit the nitric oxide radical generated in vitro from sodium nitroprusside (IC50 5.5 micrograms/ml). Oral administration of BR (50 mg/dose/animal) was found to inhibit the PMA induced superoxide generation in mice peritoneal macrophages. Oral administration of BR; 10 and 50 mg/dose/animal was also found to inhibit the nitrite production in peritoneal macrophages and percentage inhibition was 25.2% and 37.8% respectively. These results indicate significant antioxidant activity of BR in vitro and in vivo.