Cytoprotective action of Griffonia simplicifolia (DC.) Baill. against the oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on neurons and astrocytes

Cerebral malaria and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are characterized by a significant increase in oxidative stress that can lead to cellular damage to neurons and astrocytes. Therefore, the search for molecules capable of modulating oxidative stress in these diseases has recently gained interest, particularly for non-traditional antioxidants that can be obtained from plants. In this work, the aqueous leaf extract of Griffonia simplicifolia was used to evaluate its ability to protect both neurons and astrocytes against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide. The analysis of the chemical antioxidant activity showed that Griffonia simplicifolia has a good antioxidant activity with an IC50 equal to 85.11 μg/mL. Toxicity tests showed that the aqueous extract of Griffonia simplicifolia did not affect the cellular viability of neurons and astrocytes (IC50 > 800 μg/mL). In addition, at a concentration of 20 μg/mL, the aqueous extract of Griffonia simplifica protected both neurons and astrocytes against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Our results therefore suggest that the aqueous extract of Griffonia simplicifolia contains antioxidant molecules that may have therapeutic potential.