Stress modulating antioxidant effect of Nardostachys jatamansi

• Published in: Indian journal of biochemistry & biophysics Vol. 46; no. 1; pp. 93 - 98
• Main Authors: Lyle, Nazmun, Bhattacharyya, Dipankar, Sur, Tapas K, Munshi, Santanu, Paul, Suhrita, Chatterjee, Suparna, Gomes, Antony
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India 01-02-2009
• Subjects: Adrenal Glands - drug effects; Adrenal Glands - pathology; Adrenal Glands - physiopathology; Animals; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Ascorbic Acid - metabolism; Brain - drug effects; Brain - physiopathology; Catalase - metabolism; Corticosterone - blood; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Free Radicals - metabolism; Lipid Peroxidation - physiology; Male; Nardostachys; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Restraint, Physical; Spleen - drug effects; Spleen - pathology; Stomach - drug effects; Stomach - pathology; Stomach - physiopathology; Stress, Psychological - drug therapy; Stress, Psychological - pathology; Ulcer - drug therapy; Ulcer - pathology
• ISSN: 0301-1208

The rhizomes of Nardostachysjatamansi, the plant commonly known as Jatamansi have been described in Ayurveda for their soothing and sedative action on the central nervous system. In the present study, the anti-stress effect of hydroethanolic extract (70%) of N. jatamansi (NJE) was evaluated in reference to its antioxidant property. Wistar rats were divided into four groups: naive, stressed, and T-200 and T-500 stressed with oral pre-treatment of NJE 200 and 500 mg/kg, respectively. Restraint of rats in metallic chambers for 4 h at 4 degreesC was followed by sacrifice and assessment of stress-induced alterations in biochemical parameters, incidence and severity of ulcers. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and NO levels in stomach and LPO, NO levels and catalase activity in brain, plasma corticosterone level and adrenal ascorbic acid were measured. In vitro antioxidant activity of NJE was studied by measuring the free radical scavenging activity. NJE showed potent antioxidant activity and significantly reversed the stress-induced elevation of LPO and NO levels and decrease in catalase activity in the brain. It inhibited the incidence of gastric ulcerations and reversed the alterations in biochemical parameters/markers of stress-induced gastric ulceration. NJE also significantly altered stress-induced increase in adrenal and spleen weights and decrease in level of ascorbic acid in adrenal gland. Elevation of plasma corticosterone level was negated dose- dependently. The findings suggest that the NJE possesses significant anti-stress activity, which may be due to its antioxidant activity.