Exploring the Antioxidant Defense: Super Oxide Dismutase and Glutathione Peroxidase as Key Biomarkers in Juniperus Macrocarpa's Antiulcer Effect on Rats Model
Abstract
Juniperus macrocarpa is a native North American species of juniper which is known as Rocky Mountain juniper which showed diverse array of biological activities, encompassing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antifertility, and hypoglycemic properties. Chemicals such as phenolic and volatile that associated with J. macrocarpa exhibit significant biological potential, Aim. The present study aimed to explore the anti-ulcerative properties of J. macrocarpa against non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced peptic ulcers in albino rats, focusing on the histological changes and on the antioxidative enzymes Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) level. Methods. Forty-two healthy male albino rats were used in this study, aged 6-12 months and weighing 160-250g, divided into 7 groups and subjected to peptic ulcer induced using indomethacin. The groups were treated with omeprazole as a reference drug, pretreated with J. macrocarpa extract, or treated post-induction with varying doses of the extract over 14 days. Juniperus macrocarpa was extracted using a modified Soxhlet extraction method, with a mixture of 80% ethanol and 20% distilled water at a temperature of 50 °C for 8 hours and the total phenolic compounds amount determined in the aqueous extract by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent while aluminum chloride colorimetric method used to determine the total flavonoid content in the extract. Results. The results demonstrated the impact of Juniperus macrocarpa treatments on oxidative stress biomarkers. Specifically, the mean levels of SOD and GPX across different groups which lead to conclude that Juniperus macrocarpa significantly enhance the antioxidative defense mechanisms by improving SOD and GPX activity in treated subjects.
Keywords: Juniperus macrocarpa, peptic ulcer, NSAIDs, Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD).
