In vitro assessment of antioxidant and anti-aging properties of ethanol extracts from Amaranthus dubius, Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton, and Phyllanthus emblica: Promising natural agents for age-related disease prevention

Age-related diseases (ARDs) and cellular senescence are significant concerns as the aging population increases in Thailand and the ASEAN region. Oxidative stress, induced by free radicals that result in the formation of senescent cells (SCs), is a primary contributor to ARDs. Antioxidant-rich plants have potential in mitigating free radical-related diseases, but their safety for normal cells requires careful investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-oxidative and anti-senescence properties of Amaranthus dubius leaves (AD), Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton seeds (PF), and Phyllanthus emblica fruits (PE), commonly used in culinary and traditional medicine in northern Thailand. The study assessed the phytochemical composition of the plant extracts by GC-MS, their total phenolic content, ability to scavenge free radicals and H2O2, and their potential for DNA damage protection, cellular senescence prevention, and restoration. The results showed that all plant extracts possessed antioxidant, H2O2 scavenging, and DNA damage protection properties, with PE displaying the highest efficacy. AD and PF were potentially non-toxic, whereas PE was observed to be harmful to HDF-a after 24-h treatment, with all extracts exhibiting potential harm after 72 h. Additionally, all extracts showed preventive properties against oxidative stress and cellular senescence but were not restorative, with PE exhibiting the greatest performance. In conclusion, PE displayed the most significant preventive properties against oxidative stress and cellular senescence, making it a potential candidate for supplement development to potentially mitigate the risk of ARDs occurrence.