Modulating Effects of Pycnogenol® on Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage Induced by Sepsis in Rats

• Published in: Phytotherapy research Vol. 28; no. 11; pp. 1692 - 1700
• Main Authors: Taner, Gökçe, Aydın, Sevtap, Bacanlı, Merve, Sarıgöl, Zehra, Şahin, Tolga, Başaran, A. Ahmet, Başaran, Nurşen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Heyden & Son 01.11.2014; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Alkaline comet assay; Animals; antioxidants; bark; DNA; DNA damage; DNA Damage - drug effects; DNA repair; Flavonoids - pharmacology; Fpg-modified comet assay; glutathione; Glutathione - metabolism; glutathione peroxidase; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - metabolism; kidneys; liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; lymphocytes; malondialdehyde; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Pinus - chemistry; Pinus pinaster; protective effect; Pycnogenol; rats; Rats, Wistar; Sepsis; Sepsis - pathology; superoxide dismutase; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; tumor necrosis factor-alpha; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Pycnogenol; Sepsis; Fpg-modified comet assay; Alkaline comet assay; DNA damage
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5184

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of Pycnogenol® (Pyc), a complex plant extract from the bark of French maritime pine, on oxidative stress parameters (superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and total glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels), an inflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) level) and also DNA damage in Wistar albino rats. Rats were treated with 100 mg/kg intraperitonally Pyc following the induction of sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture. The decreases in MDA levels and increases in GSH levels, and SOD and GPx activities were observed in the livers and kidneys of Pyc‐treated septic rats. Plasma TNF‐α level was found to be decreased in the Pyc‐treated septic rats. In the lymphocytes, kidney, and liver tissue cells of the sepsis‐induced rats, Pyc treatment significantly decreased the DNA damage and oxidative base damage using standard alkaline assay and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase‐modified comet assay, respectively. In conclusion, Pyc treatment might have a role in the prevention of sepsis‐induced oxidative damage not only by decreasing DNA damage but also increasing the antioxidant status and DNA repair capacity in rats. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.