Evaluation of anti oxidant and immunomodulatory potential of different extracts of Juniperus squamata and isolation of active compounds

Abstract

newline ntioxidants fight against free radicals and protect living beings from various newlinediseases. They exert their action either by scavenging the reactive oxygen newlinespecies or protecting the antioxidant defense mechanisms. The increasing evidence newlinesuggests that oxidative damage has great impact on the immune system of humans. newlineFree radical components have a relevant pathophysiological role in several types of newlineautoimmune diseases such as heart failure, shock, atherosclerosis etc. It is essential to newlinecounteract this oxidative stress and thereby enhance immunity of the body system. newlineThe immunomodulatory agents are being used as adjuvant therapy in oxidative stress newlineinduced diseases. A very few modern medicines are available to treat the oxidative newlinestress and immune senescence which are costly and possess serious side effect. On the newlinecontrary, the natural antioxidants are safer choice in the treatment of oxidative stress newlineand immune senescence. Nowadays there has been increasing interest in the newlineinvestigation of medicinal plants for the discovery of new antioxidant and newlineimmunomodulatory agents. In this backdrop, the current study was designed to newlineevaluate the antioxidant and immunomodulatory potential of Juniperus squamata and newlineisolation of its bioactive compounds. Preliminary phytochemical screening of newlinedifferent parts of plant was carried out to find various constituents present in it. newlineAmong all the parts of plants i.e. root, stem and leaf, methanolic extract of leaf newlineshowed the maximum presence of phytochemicals. Antioxidant potential of different newlineextracts of Juniperus squamata was evaluated by means of DPPH, reducing power, newlinemicrosomal lipid peroxidation, hydrogen, superoxide, and hydroxyl radical newlinescavenging activity. Methanolic extract of the leaf showed significant DPPH radical newlinescavenging potential with percent inhibition of 82.12±0.543% at 700and#956;g/ml and IC50 newlinevalue of 234±2.31and#956;g/ml. The reducing power of the extracts increased in a newlineconcentration dependent manner. All the extracts showed dose dependent scavenging newlineof h.....