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Figure 1: BDNF Level Expression in Negative Control,
Vitamin E (Positive Control), Acalypha indica L., and
Young Group.
3.2 Discussion
This study showed that the root extract of Acalypha
indica L. could provide anti-oxidative potential
when given to aged subjects. This role was
facilitated through the increment of BDNF level of
brain tissues.
The high concentration of BDNF in the group
receiving Acalypha indica L. is synergic with many
preceding studies that have proven its positive
correlation. For example, when compared to
standard antioxidant L-ascorbic acid, Acalypha
indica L. provided moderate antioxidant activity
with different expressions depending on the material
used: root 53.27% and leaves 31.14%. This study
clearly indicated that the antioxidant expression of
Acalypha indica L. was higher in root extract
(Shanmugapriya, Ramanathan et al., 2011).
Bioactive constituents contained in the extracts, such
as phenolic and flavonoid components were known
to give radical scavenging activities by neutralizing
reactive oxygen species (ROS) which later prevent
neuronal damage and improve viability and
proliferation of neuronal cells (Vauzour, Vafeiadou
et al., 2008).
BDNF concentration was observed as the lowest
in the group with vitamin E supplementation, which
corresponded with a previous study on rats done by
Sakr, Abbas et al. (2015). BDNF gene expression
was known to be decreased in rats with sustained
hypoxia and chronic exercise when exposed to
vitamin E supplementation. Vitamin E given in this
research is 100 mg/kg BW of the doses and injected
intraperitoneally. This suggested that BDNF
expression of the cortical neuron was related to
oxidative stress induced by hypoxia and exercise.
However, this research was limited in young rats
aged 4 weeks.
According to one research which studied the
correlation between age and plasma BDNF level,
there were significant differences in BDNF levels
between younger and older subjects after undergo
horizontal bed rest for 14 days. In younger subjects,
BDNF levels were smaller (34.36 ± 15.24 pg/mL)
than older subjects (62.02 ± 18.31 pg/mL). These
results were affected by the resistance of the brain to
counteract acute stressors, which was declined as the
age increased. It contributed to a bigger increment in
BDNF level as a compensatory mechanism (Soavi,
Marušic et al., 2016). Therefore, this strongly
correlates with such differences of BDNF level
shown in both old and young groups observed in this
study.
As stated in a study on sixty frogs (Bufo
melanostictus Schneider) aimed to identify the
therapeutic effect provided by Acalypha indica L.,
there was a significant difference (p<0.05) of
neuroprotective effect among treated frogs when
compared to control group. In the experiment, the
extracts were made into four groups with various
amount of doses. It concluded that the
neuroprotective effect was observed highest at 200-
500 mg/kg BW of dose (Purwaningsih et al., 2010).
This range of dose was also synergic with a study
detecting another pharmacological activity of
Acalypha indica L. This study demonstrated that its
anti-inflammatory effect was observed best at dose
250 mg/kg BW which seen by maximum inhibition
that was comparable to phenylbutazone 100 mg/kg
BW as a standard drug (Saha, Ahmed et al., 2017).
Moreover, one in vitro study using hypoxic
primary cell culture of hippocampus obtained from
9-10 weeks of age rats stated the possible
mechanism underlying Acalypha indica L. role in
BDNF increment. It directly impedes protein
damage which contributes to the production of new
endogenous BDNF. Through experiment in which
the root extract of Acalypha indica L. with different
exposure of doses used, it was known that
proliferation of the neuronal cells was linear with
increasing doses applied (Ibrahim, Rahadian et al.,
2012).
Therefore, it might be a limitation of this
research that made the results insignificant. It could
be occurred due to relatively small doses of
Anti-Oxidative Potential of Acalypha indica L. Root Extract on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Old Sprague-Dawley Rats
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