Effects of Bryonia alba on Oxidative Stress in Tetrahymena thermophila
Loading...
Authors
Smith, Hunter
Wetherelt, Hunter
Date of Issue
2024
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
Other Titles
Abstract
In recent years, the market for homeopathic supplements has experienced drastic growth despite the fact that it remains unregulated. An example of a supplement that has grown in popularity is Bryonia alba, which is derived from a flower located in Europe and is said to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. For this study, we focused on the antioxidant properties of Bryonia alba due to its flavin molecules that have been shown to relieve oxidative stress. It was hypothesized that Tetrahymena thermophila cells exposed to an oxidative stressor and treated with Bryonia alba would remain healthier and have altered expression of the RAD51 and OXR1 genes compared to untreated cells. The Rad51 gene was chosen for its role in DNA repair while OXR1 served as an indicator for oxidative stress resistance. To test the antioxidant properties of Bryonia alba, we exposed T. thermophila to hydrogen peroxide and treated them with either the Bryonia extract or a control solution. Following treatment, behavioral assays were performed to evaluate changes in cell viability, metabolic function, and motility, while expression of Rad51 and OXR1 was measured by Real-Time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR). It was predicted that T. thermophila exposed to oxidative stress and treated with Bryonia alba would have better motility, increased metabolic function, and improved growth compared to untreated cells. Expression of RAD51 and OXR1 was also predicted to be higher in the Bryonia alba treated cells, indicating they were better able to respond to the oxidative damage caused by hydrogen peroxide.