Further in vitro evaluation of antiradical activity of the moss Rhodobryum ontariense tea using EPR and fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract

The moss Rhodobryum ontariense tea has been claimed by Traditional Chinese medicine for its beneficial effects in the treatment of wide range of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. The antiradical activity of R. ontariense tea (L e. its lyophilised water extract) was evaluated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy/against superoxide anion(center dot O-2(-)), nitric-oxide (center dot NO), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (center dot DPPH), carbon-dioxide anion (center dot CO2-) and methoxy (center dot CH2OH) radicals/ and fluorescence spectroscopy/against hydroxyl (center dot OH) radicals/ in in vitro conditions. It reduced the production of majority of radical species tested, but in a varying degree. The most activity was observed against center dot OH, center dot DPPH and center dot CO2- radicals (95 +/- 10%, 78 +/- 4% and 67 +/- 5%, respectively). In addition, the extract was shown to be active against center dot CH2OH and center dot NO radicals (55 +/- 8% and 45 +/- 8%, respectively). On the contrary, no any antiradical activity was observed against center dot O(2)(-)radicals. According to the experimental data obtained, R. ontariense tea can be considered as a promising resource of natural products with antiradical activity and may be of some interest to research in heart disease.