Research on Reduction of Chemical Toxicity

Title
Antioxidant Properties of Two Ayurvedic Herbal Preparations [MAK-4 and MAK-3]
Publication
Biochemical Archives, Vol. 10, pp. 23-31, 1994.
Authors
Stephen C. Bondy, Tina M. Hernandez, and Cara Mattia.
Conducted at
Department of Community and Environmental Medicine, University of California (Irvine),
Irvine, CA 92717
Summary
Toluene is an organic solvent widely used in industry. Exposure to toluene can result in neuronal damage, as manifested by neurobehavioral and electrophysiological effects in humans and rats. Approximately six billion pounds of toluene are produced each year, therefore the potential for widespread occupational exposure is very high. In addition, toluene produces a euphoric effect which has led to its abuse. Toluene has been shown to induce excess oxidative activity within several organs, including the brain. In this investigation, ethanol and aqueous extracts of MAK-4 and MAK-5 were able to quench generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (p<0.03) within an isolated fraction of rat cerebral cortex enriched in mitochondria and nerve endings (synaptosomes). Based on these results, rats pretreated with MAK-5 showed a significant decrease in toluene-induced ROS in the cerebellar synaptosomal/mitochondrial preparations (p<0.03). Also, the alcoholic extract of MAK-5 significantly reduced toluene- nduced ROS generation (p<0.03) in the kidney mitochondrial fraction. See Antioxidant Research for more information on this study.