Assessment of cytoprotective and genoprotective effects of Moringa oleifera and Tinospora cordifolia extracts in vitro.

Background: Moringa oleifera and Tinospora cordifolia is extensively used as an ingredient of food and in traditional medicine for the management of a variety of diseases.

Material and methods: The extracts of leaf of Moringa oleifera and stem of Tinospora cordifolia were assessed to examine their ability to inhibit the oxidative DNA damage (by DNA protection assay), cytoprotective and genoprotective potential (by Comet assay) in V79 cells individually and in combinations.

Result: It was found that these extracts could significantly inhibit the OH-dependent damage of pUC18 plasmid DNA. M. oleifera extract (160 and 320 μg/mL) and Tinospora cordifolia extract (640, 1,280 and 2,560 μg/mL) individually showed higher DNA protection activity. M. oleifera (1,280 μg/mL) combined with Tinospora cordifolia (640 μg/mL) showed best cytoprotective and genoprotective activities among different concentration combinations and various concentrations of individual plants in V79 cell line against hydrogen peroxide induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the cytoprotective and genoprotective activity of M. oleifera and Tinospora cordifolia individually or in combination.