<i>Nepeta nuda</i> L. Plant Extract Preserves the Morphology of Red Blood Cells Subjected to Oxidative Stress

Abstract

We show that an extract from catmint (Nepeta nuda L.) flowers is not hemotoxic and does not alter erythrocytes’ morphology. H2O2-induced oxidative stress leads to an increase in lipid peroxidation, accompanied by a reduction in the number of biconcave cells and an increase in the number of echinocytes. Pre-treatment of erythrocytes with this extract does not reduce the lipid peroxidation level; however, it results in partial restoration of the relative abundance of biconcave cells and a respective reduction in the echinocytes’ quantity. Our data reveal the concentrations at which the examined extract exhibits a protective effect on erythrocytes’ morphology under the condition of H2O2-induced oxidative stress.

Keywords

• plant extract
• red blood cells
• oxidative stress