ANTIOXIDANT AND IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS OF ETHANOL EXTRACT FROM Oldenlandia capitellata Kuntze LEAVES IN INDOMETHACIN-INDUCED GASTRIC INFLAMMATION IN MICE

This study evaluates the antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of the ethanol extract from Oldenlandia capitellata (EEOC) in a mouse model of indomethacin (IND)-induced gastric inflammation. Mice were subjected to treatment with IND (45 mg/kg), the standard drug omeprazole (OME) (20 mg/kg), and EEOC at varying doses of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg. Key parameters assessed included malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), white blood cell (WBC) counts, Nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test (NBT), T-independent (TI), and phagocytic activity (PA). Results indicated that the IND group exhibited significantly elevated MDA (3.57 ± 0.03 nmol/mg protein) and H₂O₂ (2.15 ± 0.04 nmol/g tissue) levels (p < 0.05), reflecting oxidative stress and tissue damage. Treatment with EEOC led to notable reductions in both MDA and H₂O₂, particularly in the EEOC 300 group, which showed MDA levels of 2.26 ± 0.01 nmol/mg protein and H₂O₂ levels of 1.36 ± 0.02 nmol/g tissue (p < 0.05). Additionally, the EEOC administration restored GSH and TAC levels, along with enhancing CAT, GPx, and SOD activities. Furthermore, the EEOC treatment resulted in decreased WBC, NBT, TI, and PA counts and improved phagocytic activity, demonstrating its capacity to modulate immune responses. These findings suggest that EEOC effectively alleviates oxidative stress and enhances immune function in the context of gastric inflammation, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for managing oxidative stress-related conditions.