Reduction of blood IL-6 level on aged Sprague-Dawley rats treated with Acalypha indica Linn ethanolic extract

Aging is a condition of impaired function due to the decrease of physiological integrity that can be a risk factor for another significant disease. The aging process is caused by free radicals that can damage the surrounding molecules. This process can cause oxidative stress and increase the level of proinflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6). Acalypha indica Linn (AI), is widely used as an herbal medicine for various diseases. Several studies have shown that Acalypha indica Linn have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We aimed to study the impact of AI on aged Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The rats were divided into 4 groups consists of 7 rats on each group. The groups are treated with placebo, the ethanol extract of AI (250 mg/kg BW) and vitamin E (6 IU). The last group consists of young SD rats. After 28 days, rats were terminated, and laboratory tests were performed to see blood-IL-6 levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed AI significantly reduced blood IL-6 level compared to negative control group (P = 0,0048) while there is no significant difference of blood IL-6 level between treatment group (AI) compared to positive control group. These results prove that AI ethanol extract has an antioxidant effects on aged SD rats and can be a potential antioxidant agent to inhibit aging process.