The study aimed to identify the phenolic compounds present in Centella asiatica (L.) (C. asiatica) extract and evaluate the respective antioxidant potential as well as its cholesterol-lowering effects in the experimental animal model. Herein, the antioxidant potential of extracts was assessed by its free radical scavenging activity such as 2, 2-diphenyl -1- picrylhydrazyl as well as reducing capability. The antihyperlipidemic effects of C. asiatica extract (CAE) were evaluated in high cholesterol-fed (HCF) rats for 4 weeks, where different concentrations of extracts (0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/kg/day) were orally administrated daily. Lipid and antioxidant profiles, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low- density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), together with the indices of hepatic functions were also examined. C. asiatica revealed excellent free radical scavenging activity as revealed by DPPH assay, with the IC50 values (9.62 ± 0.88 μg/mL). Furthermore, C. asiatica extracts and fenofibrate remarkably lowered the level of TC, TG, LDL-C, and showed elevated levels of HDL-C, SOD. The histopathological observations further demonstrated clear differentiation and structural changes in liver of HCF and CAE treated group. Furthermore, gulonic acid, ferulic acid, kaempferol, chlorogenic acid, and asiatic acid were identified to be the major components which might be responsible for the antioxidant activity of the C. asiatica extract as evidenced from an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS). Taken together, these results signifies the excellent antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic properties of C. asiatica leaf extracts, which might be useful for the treatment of oxidative-stress related diseases such as hyperlipidemia.

OBJECTIVE: Amaranthus viridis ( Amaranthaceae ) widely distributed all over the world, growing under a wide range of climatic conditions and has been utilized as a medicinal herb in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as antipyretic agents, also for the treatment of inflammation, ulcer, diabetic, asthma and hyperlipidemia. The aim of the study was designed to evaluate the chemical composition and antioxidant and biological properties of different fractions obtained from A. viridis . MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four different extracts of A. viridis were prepared using aqueous, methanol, chloroform, and hexane and investigated their antioxidant potential using free radical scavenging activities such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging activity, as well as metal chelating activity. In addition, antityrosinase and antigenotoxicity properties were also evaluated by the standard in vitro methods. Finally, the active methanolic extract (ME) was investigated for identifying the phenolic compounds using UPLC-MS/MS. RESULTS: In the present study, chlorogenic acid, gulonic acid, and kaempferol were found to be the major components responsible for the antioxidant activity of A. viridis extract as evidenced from UPLC-MS/MS. Furthermore, the ME of A. viridis revealed excellent antioxidant activities such as DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC ₅₀ = 47.23 ± 0.66 μg/mL), NO radical scavenging activity (IC ₅₀ = 64.33 ± 2.01 μg/mL), hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) radical scavenging activity (IC ₅₀ = 33.21 ± 3.3 μg/mL), ABTS radical scavenging activity (IC ₅₀ = 47.61 ± 1.31 μg/mL), metal chelating activity (IC ₅₀ = 32.1 ± 1.11 μg/mL), as well as lipid peroxidation inhibiting activity (IC ₅₀ = 112 ± 1.21 μg/mL). Furthermore, ME revealed that the protective effects of extract were observed on H ₂ O ₂ -induced DNA damages with alkaline comet assay. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the study concluded that the promising antioxidant capacities of A. viridis extract can further be utilized in various agricultural, pharmaceutical, and food applications.