Tinospora cordifolia Protects Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages From LPS-induced Death

Abstract

In the present study, RTc, an aqua-alcoholic extract of Tinospora cordifolia, a potential radioprotector, was evaluated for its ability to protect peritoneal macrophages (PMs) against LPS-induced death in ex vivo conditions using DNA fragmentation and survival assays. The effect of RTc on nitric oxide (NO) and TNF- production by LPS induced PMs was also assessed. The interaction of RTc with DNA (plasmid relaxation assay) and its effect on sodium nitroprusside (SNP) generated nitric oxide (NO) were also analysed. LPS induced significant DNA fragmentation in a dose dependent manner, decreased macrophage survival (48.2 ± 2.2 % of control), and increased NO (32.4 ± 1.5 μM nitrite/106 cells) and TNF- levels (1943.4 ± 94.7 pg/ml) significantly as compared to their respective control values. Pre-treatment with RTc (-1h) decreased DNA fragmentation (13.4 ± 0.4 %), increased survival (87.5 ± 4.2 % of control), and reduced NO (18.9 ± 0.7 μM nitrite/106 cells) and TNF- levels (418.5 ± 19.5 pg/ml) significantly. RTc also inhibited radiation-induced relaxation of plasmid DNA and significantly quenched SNP-generated NO even at low concentrations (64.6 ± 3.6 % inhibition at 2.25 μg/ml, p ≤ 0.001). Such diverse effects of RTc on PMs could explain the radioprotective efficacy of this herbal extract.

Submitted: July 11, 2008 · Accepted: August 26, 2008 · Published: October 8, 2008

Recommended Citation

Goel, Harish Chandra; Singh, Lakshman; Tyagi, Sonia; and Rizvi, Moshahid Alam (2008) "Tinospora cordifolia Protects Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages From LPS-induced Death," Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine: Vol. 5 : Iss. 1, Article 25.
DOI: 10.2202/1553-3840.1161
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/jcim/vol5/iss1/25