Background: Helicteres hirsuta Lour. is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat liver diseases.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the Nrf2 inhibitory activity of the n-hexane extract from H. hirsuta leaves (AX-He) using a zebrafish model.
Method: Wild-type (AB) and Keap1b knockout (keap1bdl40) zebrafish larvae were treated with AX-He at various concentrations. The nrf2dl703 knockout line was used as a negative control for Nrf2 activity. The antioxidant activity of AX-He was assessed by its ability to protect WT larvae against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. The expression of Nrf2 target genes, including gstp1, prdx1, and nrf2a, was analyzed by RT-qPCR.
Results: AX-He suppressed the expression of prdx1 and nrf2a in keap1bdl40 larvae at concentrations of 50 and 75 µg/mL. At 100 µg/mL, AX-He reduced the antioxidant capacity of WT larvae against H2O2 exposure.
Conclusion: To sum up, this study provides evidence that AX-He can inhibit Nrf2, suggesting the potential use of H. hirsuta in treating diseases associated with Nrf2 dysregulation, including cancer.