Protective and Therapeutic Effects of Thai Vegetable Extracts Against Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in RAW 264.7 Macrophage Cells

Consuming vegetables is vital for disease prevention, and Thailand’s diverse vegetable resources are of particular interest. This study investigated the antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activities of ethanolic extracts from 48 Thai vegetable species. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using FRAP and DPPH assays, and total phenolic content was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Schinus terebinthifolius (MT) and Caesalpinia mimosoides (KY) exhibited the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity and were selected for further study. In RAW 264.7 macrophages exposed to H2O2 (200 µM), cell viability decreased to approximately 30%, whereas co-treatment with KY extract (12.5-100 µg/mL) restored viability in a dose-dependent manner, reaching 84.65%, while MT extract increased viability to approximately 50%. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that H2O2 induced apoptosis in ~90% of cells; MT extract reduced apoptotic cells by up to 20.65%, whereas KY extract produced a modest reduction (≤3.37%). RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated the upregulation of antioxidant-related genes (CAT, SOD1) and downregulation of pro-apoptotic genes (p53, caspase-9). Trace-element analysis further suggested that copper, selenium, and zinc may contribute to antioxidant enzyme activity. Collectively, MT and KY extracts exhibit significant antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects, supporting their potential as non-toxic natural agents for mitigating oxidative stress and apoptosis-related conditions.