Antioxidant Properties and Kidney Cell Protection by the Extracts of Curcuma longa, Artemisia princeps, Salicornia herbacea, and Schisandra chinesis

This study evaluated the antioxidant properties and kidney cell protection of medicinal plants as natural medicaments. A total of four medicinal plants including turmeric (TM), gangwha mugwort (GM), glasswort (GW), and omija (OM) were selected and fermented. Hot water extracts (HWE) and ethanol extracts (EE) of the plants were prepared before and after fermentation and tested in experiments in vitro and in vivo. Total polyphenol contents (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of GM were the highest among them. The TPC based HWE decreased after fermentation except OM; in contrast, TFC from HWE increased. The DPPH radical scavenging activity and ABTS value from HWE increased after fermentation, especially OM, which showed significant differences, while DPPH and ABTS from EE were decreased. The cell viability was not changed after addition of these plants extracts below 50 μg/mL; however, TM from HWE significantly decreased. The protective effect on kidney cells against cisplatin showed a 60% range of cell viability in each plant extract. In the in vivo experiment, the protective effect on kidney cells by the supplemented plant extracts was demonstrated by the serum creatinine and BUN level. During experimental periods, the serum creatinine and BUN level of GW and GM-treated mice decreased with significant differences compared to the adenine control group. As a result, these plant extracts had no cytotoxicity and maintained a protective effect as well as antioxidant activity. These results suggest that plants such as gangwha mugwort (GM) and glasswort (GW) may be good extracts for kidney cell protection and antioxidant agents.