THE CYTOPROTECTIVE AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS OF ATRIPLEX HALIMUS EXTRACT AGAINST H2O2-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN HEPG2 CELLS

Oxidative stress is one of the major causes of cell damage due to an increase in oxidative stress, loss of antioxidants in the cells, and activation of lipid peroxidation. Atriplex halimus L. is a type of salty medicinal plant that is rich in bioactive substances, which may contain antioxidant properties. In this study, the effect of the alcoholic extract against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells was investigated. HepG2 cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide and subsequently exposed to various concentrations of the  extract (25, 50, 100, and 200 µg/mL). Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, while markers of oxidative stress and cellular damage were analyzed by measuring the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) within the cells. H2O2 exposure caused a decline in cell viability measured at 56.8 ± 3.4%, and an increase in ROS and MDA levels registered at 100.0 ± 5.4% and 6.8 ± 0.5 nmol/mg protein, respectively. The content of GSH decreased to a level of 4.2 ± 0.4 µmol/g protein. The use of A. halimus extract promoted gradual restoration of cell viability and reached the highest percentage of 94.3 ± 2.6% at 200 µg/mL. In addition, a downtrend in the level of ROS and MDA was noted, which amounted to 44.1 ± 3.2% and 2.3 ± 0.2 nmol/mg protein correspondingly. GSH content increased to the level of 9.1 ± 0.7 µmol/g protein. The ethanolic extracts of A. halimus showed cytoprotective properties in terms of concentration against oxidative stress caused by H2O2 in HepG2 cells as shown by the reduction in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation and the preservation of intracellular GSH levels. The current study shows the potential of A. Halimus to serve as a source of antioxidant compounds.