Celastrus paniculatus Willd. mitigates t-BHP induced oxidative and apoptotic damage in C2C12 murine muscle cells.

Identification, exploration and scientific validation of antioxidant rich herbal extracts to mitigate the radical induced cell damage provide new insights in the field of ayurvedic research/therapies. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic potential of Celastrus paniculatus seed extract (CPSE) against tertiary butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) induced mice muscle cell damage. The extract at a dose of 50 µg/ml protected the cells up to 70 % as evidenced by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cell survival assay and also prevented LDH leakage against t-BHP induced cytotoxicity. CPSE showed potential antioxidant activity by restoring mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibited reactive oxygen species generation and lipid peroxidation. CPSE pretreatment also regulated the antioxidant markers such as superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes content and proteins expression. Further CPSE showed anti-apoptotic effects by regulating cytochrome-C and heat shock protein-70 expression and also showed 43 % muscle cell DNA damage inhibitory activity against t-BHP challenge as observed by single cell gel electrophoresis assay. Overall the extract inhibits the muscle cell damage, thus explaining the possible anti-oxidant/anti-apoptotic defense status of the C. paniculatus seed extract.