FREE-RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY OF THE JAPANESE HERBAL MEDICINE TOKI-SHAKUYAKU-SAN (TJ-23) AND ITS EFFECT ON SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE ACTIVITY, LIPID PEROXIDES, GLUTAMATE, AND MONOAMINE METABOLITES IN AGED RAT-BRAIN

The free radical scavenging activity of the Japanese herbal medicine, Toki-Shakuyaku-San (TJ-23; TSUMURA & Co., Tokyo, Japan), was examined using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry. TJ-23 scavenged 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH), superoxide (O-2(-)), and hy droxyl radicals (. OH) dose-dependently. It also diminished carbon cen tered radicals (. C) generated by oxidative stress and inhibited thiob arbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) formation in mouse cortex h omogenate. In addition, the effect of TJ-23 on the concentration of ne urotransmitters and TBARS formation, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) ac tivity in the cortex, hippocampus and striatum of the aged rat brain w as studied. The concentrations of the metabolites of monoamines, gluta mate and glutamine were decreased by 4 weeks of oral administration of TJ-23. The SOD activity of mitochondrial fraction was increased and T BARS formation was significantly suppressed. These results suggest tha t TJ-23 has an antioxidant action and would have a prophylactic effect against free radical-mediated neurological diseases associated with a ging.