Abstract
In this study, we collected seven prevalent Taiwanese Desmodium plants, including three species with synonymous characteristics, in order to assess their antioxidant phytoconstituents and radical scavenging capacities. Additionally, we compared their inhibitory activities on monoamine oxidase (MAO) and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) auto-oxidation. Subsequently, we evaluated the neuroprotective potential of D. pulchellum on 6-OHDA-induced nerve damage in SH-SY5Y cells and delved into the underlying neuroprotective mechanisms. Among the seven Desmodium species, D. pulchellum exhibited the most robust ABTS radical scavenging capacity and relative reducing power; correspondingly, it had the highest total phenolic and phenylpropanoid contents. Meanwhile, D. motorium showcased the best hydrogen peroxide scavenging capacity and, notably, D. sequax demonstrated remarkable prowess in DPPH radical and superoxide scavenging capacity, along with selective inhibitory activity against MAO-B. Of the aforementioned species, D. pulchellum emerged as the frontrunner in inhibiting 6-OHDA auto-oxidation and conferring neuroprotection against 6-OHDA-induced neuronal damage in the SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, D. pulchellum effectively mitigated the increase in intracellular ROS and MDA levels through restoring the activities of the intracellular antioxidant defense system. Therefore, we suggest that D. pulchellum possesses neuroprotective effects against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity due to the radical scavenging capacity of its antioxidant phytoconstituents and its ability to restore intracellular antioxidant activities.