Efecto antioxidante e hipolipemiante del Neem (Azadirachta indica)

Abstract

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) are molecules and radical(chemical species with a disapper electron) from molecular oxygen (Turrens, 2003). A state in which they appear excessive amounts of ROS is known as oxidative stress, this leads to molecular damage such as oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL).This is a risk factor which together to dyslipidemias increases the potential of formation of atheromas and cerebrovascular accidents. To prevent these ailments the doctors recommend the use of hypolipidemic drugs, it has some disadvantages because causes side effects and these are expensive and not all the population that has monetary resources or social security to acquire. For that reason, they finding treatment with alternative medicine like herbal medicine because has properties that confer the compounds contained in plants and their parts, phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds (PC) and flavonoids (Fl) with antioxidant and lipid lowering. The Neem (Azadirachta indica) is a tree from India, which has been introduced from Latin America decades ago and who have published several reports on his extensive properties in various fields, from agriculture to medicine. That is this work focused on determining the antioxidant and lipid lowering effect of leaf extracts of Neem (A. indica). This was studied with Neem leaves collected in the flowering and fruiting period to which they were made proximal chemical analysis and determined the PC and Fl, found on leaves in the flowering period of more of these. From these results we selected leaves in the flowering period for obtain an ethanolic and aqueous extracts, what were analyzed to know the phenolic content and evaluate the antioxidant activity. Founded in the aqueous extracts with 24 h of extracting was greater PC and Fl content and higher antioxidant activity compared to ethanol extracts. Finally, we evaluated the effect of aqueous extracts of 24 h of extraction and ethanolic neem leaves in the flowering period on the metabolism of hepatocarcinoma cells Hep G2 and fibroblasts 3T3L1 differentiated to adipocytes and there was no cytotoxic effect of both extracts on cell lines, but if there was a hypolipidemic and hyperlipidemic effect in the release and storage of lipids in the cell lines. With the results obtained it can be inferred that the indiscriminate use of these could cause unwanted reactions contrary to the consumer who can be harmful to health.