Approach to novel functional foods for stress control : 5. Antioxidant activity profiles of antidepressant herbs and their active components

Oxidative stress is frequently mentioned in relation to the neurodegenerative diseases. This study examined the effect of three herb extracts, Hypericum perforatum, Ginkgo biloba L. and Apocynum venetum L., and their components on lipid hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress in PC-12cells. Among them, the extract of Apocynum venetum and its components showed the remarkable inhibitory effect, indicating that this herb extract serves as a protective agent against lipid peroxidation-related oxidative stress in CNS. Oxidative stress may be associated with the progress of depression, as this extract has been proposed to be an effective antidepresant herb.