In vivo Antioxidative Characteristics of Extracts from the Aromatic Herb Elsholtzia splendens

The antioxidative properties of an Elsholtzia splendens ethanol extract (ESE) were examined in vivo. Oral administration of 10 or 50 mg ESE/kg BW in mice for 50 days resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in several biomarkers of oxidative stress including thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), protein carbonyls, and serum 8-hydroxy-2"-deoxy guanosine (8-OH-dG). Moreover, the level of activity and mRNA expression of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly increased by ESE treatment. Taken together, these results indicate that ESE may be beneficial to human health via its antioxidative properties.