Phytomedicine Plus · Published 2026-05-01 · DOI 10.1016/j.phyplu.2026.100991
Oxidative stress is a key contributor to neuronal dysfunction and neurodegenerative disorders. Tagetes erecta (T. erecta) is a medicinal plant rich in antioxidant bioactive compounds, including lutein. This study investigated the protective effects of T. erecta extract (TE) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative damage in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Exposure to H2O2 significantly increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, oxidative DNA damage, and the expression of senescence- and inflammatory-associated biomarkers. Pretreatment with TE at 12.5–50 μg/ml effectively attenuated H2O2-induced cellular damage. TE significantly reduced intracellular ROS accumulation and suppressed oxidative DNA damage, as evidenced by decreased levels of 8‑hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). In addition, treatment with TE mitigated H2O2-induced senescence- and inflammatory-associated biomarkers, as indicated by reduced p21 expression and attenuated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)). These protective effects were associated with enhanced cellular antioxidant defense mechanisms, as evidenced by increased levels of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). These findings demonstrated that TE protected neuronal cells and exhibited a potential neuroprotective effect.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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