Antioxidant and Protective Effects of Angipars™, a New Herbal Drug, on Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Stress in HepG₂ and A549 Cell Lines

Abstract

In the present study, free-radical-scavenging and antioxidant activities of Angipars™, an herbal extract which has been registered as a therapeutic drug for diabetic foot ulcer, were examined. We investigated the protective effect of Angipars™ on cytotoxicity produced by exposure to H2O2 (300 µM) in HepG2 and A549 cell lines, using MTT assay, glutathione (GSH) content analysis, and lipid peroxidation evaluation. Angipars™ concentrations of 1 - 20 µg/mL effectively scavenged DPPH radicals in a dose-dependent manner, while hydroxyl-radical-scavenging activity was only observed at high doses. Following a 4-hour cell treatment with H2O2, a noticeable decline in cell viability was observed, which was alleviated by Angipars™ (pre-incubated for 24 hours) at high doses. Angipars™ significantly reduced GSH content and products of lipid peroxidation, resulting from H2O2 exposure. These findings suggest that Angipars™ exhibits positive antioxidant activity in vitro and can attenuate H2O2-induced cytotoxicity; in fact, this may represent the cellular mechanisms for its cytoprotective activity.