Affiliations: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Chooi Yeng Lee, MSc., Department of
Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. Fax: +6 03 7967 4791; E-mail: lee_chooiyeng@yahoo.com
Abstract: The ability of the antioxidants in the mulberry leaves to protect
Sprague-Dawley rats from injuries caused by immobilization stress was studied
as an indicator of the tissue bioavailability of antioxidants. Nitrite level,
lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant activity (TAA) in the plasma and
tissues were measured. There were hypertrophy of the adrenal glands and
kidneys, significant increased levels of nitrite in the plasma and adrenal
glands, elevated thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the plasma,
kidneys and spleen, and a reduction of TAA in the plasma, liver, adrenal
glands, kidneys and spleen of the immobilized rats. Antioxidants in the
mulberry leaf extract suppressed the increase of nitrite and TBARS. Adrenal
glands appeared to be the target organ of the antioxidants in the leaf extract.
The low dose mulberry antioxidants were more effective than pure rutin (4
mg/day) to protect the cells against inflammation and peroxidation induced by
stress.
