The research in antioxidant effect of extracts obtained from plant thermopsis turcica on rats

ABSTRACT The Research in Antioxidant Effects of Extracts Obtained from Plant Thermopsis Turcica on Rats Thermopsis turcica, the endemic plant belonging to fabaceae family, is the only species that represents Thermopsis in our country. This study aims to investigate antioxidant effects of extracts obtained from Thermopsis Turcica plant. In this study the upper parts of the plant Thermopsis turcica were collected on ground surface and dried at room temperature under the shade. Ethanaol and water extracts were obtained from the dried plant. A total of 74 male Wistar albino rats, aging between 1,5 - 2 months old and weighing between 250-350 gr were used. 64 of them were used to determine antioxidant activity, 10 of them were used to determine the lethal dose LD50. Rats were divided into 8 groups and each group consisted 8 rats. The prepared extracts from the upper parts of the plant Thermopsis turcica that consisted % 1, % 2 and % 4 of LD50 were fed simultaneously as specified in grouping in single daily doses through gastric gavage. Gastric gavage feeding continued for 30 days. At the end of the study, intracardiac blood, kidney tissue and liver samples of animals were taken under xylazine -ketamine anesthesia. From the blood and tissue samples, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and plasma antioxidant activity (AOA) levels were measured. The lethal dose 50 (LD50) ˃ 2000 mg / kg was found by applying ethanol and water extracts that were prepared from the upper parts of the plant Thermopsis turcica. There was no significant difference in weight among the rats from the first day to the last day of the month (P ˃ 0,05). In whole MDA blood values, aqueous groups showed lower values than K group (P ˂ 0,01). The whole MDA blood value level in Thermopsis turcica plant, especially the groups with aqueous extracts showed a decrease (P ˃ 0,05) but no effect on tissues was determined. Furthermore, especially the groups which were given aqueous extracts are found to have increasing values of blood, liver and kidney GSH levels (P ˂ 0,01). Although, the group which was given both extracts enzymatically had an increase of erythrocyte SOD, CAT, liver and kidney activities (P ˂ 0,01), it had a decrease of kidney CAT activity (P ˂ 0,01) and no effect on liver CAT activity was observed (P ˃ 0,05 ). Additionally, a decrease in plasma AOA values (P ˂ 0,01) was observed in the group which was given both extracts. As a result, low values observed in whole blood MDA and low GSH values in whole blood and in tissue samples of especially aqueous extracts of the plant has positive effects on antioxidant effect. However, low AOA plasma values in both extracts led to the opinion that sufficient antioxidant effect did not occur. Key Words: Antioxidant Activity, Fabaceae, Lipid peroxidation, Rat, Thermopsis turcica.