Antioxidant and attenuative effect of a mixture of Helianthus annus and Taraxacum officinale against dolutegravir-induced distortions in Drosophila melanogaster

Background: The investigation into the medicinal properties of plant extracts has become increasingly prominent in pharmacological research. This research area emphasizes the interplay between pharmaceutical drugs and medicinal plants, aiming to address and alleviate the side effects induced by conventional medications.

Objective: This study assessed the antioxidant and mitigatory effects of a Helianthus annuus and Taraxacum officinale herbal extract mixture on Drosophila melanogaster exposed to dolutegravir.

Methods: Drosophila melanogaster, aged three to five days, were exposed for seven days to different concentrations of dolutegravir and the herbal extract to determine the median lethal concentration. The antioxidant activity of the extract using stable 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl was also evaluated. A separate cohort of fruit flies was divided into eight treatment groups, exposed to various concentrations of the plant extract (1-1000 mg/ 5g diet), a negative control, and silymarin for five days to assess the impact on catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, total thiol, total protein, and acetylcholinesterase. All groups, except the negative control, had dolutegravir incorporated into their diet, and one group was exposed to dolutegravir only.

Results: The results demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in catalase, particularly at 75-100 mg/5 g diet, compared to the control. Glutathione-S-transferase was significantly higher at the lowest extract and dolutegravir dose compared to groups exposed to dolutegravir alone. Protein levels were significantly lower compared to flies administered dolutegravir, indicating potential mitigative effects. The herbal mixture exhibited antioxidant activity surpassing that of silymarin.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the Helianthus annuus-Taraxacum officinale herbal mixture demonstrated ameliorative effects against dolutegravir-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster.