Phytochemical Properties of Croton gratissimus Burch (Lavender Croton) Herbal Tea and Its Protective Effect against Iron-Induced Oxidative Hepatic Injury

  • Paul V. Ncume
  • , Veronica F. Salau
  • , Sibahle Mtshali
  • , Kolawole A. Olofinsan
  • , Ochuko L. Erukainure
  • , Motlalepula G. Matsabisa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Oxidative stress plays a vital role in the pathogenesis and progression of various liver diseases. Traditional medicinal herbs have been used worldwide for the treatment of chronic liver diseases due to their high phytochemical constituents. The present study investigated the phytochemical properties of Croton gratissimus (lavender croton) leaf herbal tea and its hepatoprotective effect on oxidative injury in Chang liver cells, using an in vitro and in silico approach. C. gratissimus herbal infusion was screened for total phenolic and total flavonoid contents as well as in vitro antioxidant capacity using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) methods. Oxidative hepatic injury was induced by incubating 0.007 M FeSO4 with Chang liver cells which has been initially incubated with or without different concentrations (15–240 μg/mL) of C. gratissimus infusion or the standard antioxidants (Gallic acid and ascorbic acid). C. gratissimus displayed significantly high scavenging activity and ferric reducing capacity following DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively. It had no cytotoxic effect on Chang liver cells. C. gratissimus also significantly elevated the level of hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase activities as well as suppressed the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in oxidative hepatic injury. Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of the herbal tea revealed the presence of 8-prenylnaringenin, flavonol 3-O-D-galactoside, caffeine, spirasine I, hypericin, pheophorbide-a, and 4-methylumbelliferone glucuronide. In silico oral toxicity prediction of the identified phytochemicals revealed no potential hepatotoxicity. Molecular docking revealed potent molecular interactions of the phytochemicals with SOD and catalase. The results suggest the hepatoprotective and antioxidative potentials of C. gratissimus herbal tea against oxidative hepatic injury.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2915
JournalPlants
Volume12
Issue number16
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2023

Keywords

  • Croton gratissimus
  • antioxidant
  • in silico
  • oxidative stress
  • phytochemicals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Ecology
  • Plant Science

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