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Effects of Greek legume plant extracts on xanthine oxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities

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Abstract

Legumes are considered to have beneficial health implications, which have been attributed to their phytochemical content. Polyphenols are considered the most important phytochemical compounds extensively studied for their antioxidant properties. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of potent antioxidant legume plant extracts on xanthine oxidase (XO), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. XO exerts a dual role, as it is the major contributor of free radicals during exercise while it generates uric acid, the most potent antioxidant molecule in plasma. CAT and SOD are two of the main enzymes of the antioxidant defence of tissues. We demonstrate that the majority of the extracts inhibited XO activity, but they had no effect on CAT inhibition and SOD induction when used at low concentrations. These results imply that the tested extracts may be considered as possible source of novel XO inhibitors. However, we have shown that allopurinol administration, a known XO inhibitor, before exercise reduces performance and induces oxidative stress in rats. Considering the fact that the extracts examined had an inhibitory effect on XO activity, possibly posing a restriction in their characterization as antioxidants, phytochemical antioxidant administration before exercise should probably be reconsidered.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Ploutonos 26 & Aiolou, 41221, Larissa, Greece

    Chrysoula I. Spanou, Aristidis S. Veskoukis, Dimitrios Stagos, Kalliopi Liadaki & Dimitrios Kouretas

  2. Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Nectarios Aligiannis, Apostolos Angelis & Alexios-Leandros Skaltsounis

  3. Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Maria Anastasiadi & Serkos A. Haroutounian

Authors
  1. Chrysoula I. Spanou
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  2. Aristidis S. Veskoukis
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  3. Dimitrios Stagos
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  4. Kalliopi Liadaki
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  5. Nectarios Aligiannis
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  6. Apostolos Angelis
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  7. Alexios-Leandros Skaltsounis
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  8. Maria Anastasiadi
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  9. Serkos A. Haroutounian
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  10. Dimitrios Kouretas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dimitrios Kouretas.

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Supplementary Fig. 1

Flavonoids identified in aqueous extract of Lathyrus laxiflorus subsp. Laxiflorus (PDF 14 kb)

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Spanou, C.I., Veskoukis, A.S., Stagos, D. et al. Effects of Greek legume plant extracts on xanthine oxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. J Physiol Biochem 68, 37–45 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-011-0117-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-011-0117-z

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