The reduction effect of blood interleukin-6 concentration on aged Sprague-Dawley rats after Centella asiatica ethanolic extract administration

Aging is an inevitable time-related process leading to reduced cognition and physical strength also increased susceptibility of degenerative disorders. This study studies the aging process related to relatively high oxidative stress level and proinflammatory mediators such as interleukin-6 (IL-6). Centella Asiatica (CA), a traditional medicinal herb, has been widely reported to have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, both experimentally and clinically. The study investigates the impact of CA on aged Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-eight rats were divided into four groups: negative control, positive control (vitamin E 6 IU), treatment (CA ethanolic extract 300 mg/kg body weight), and regular group (young Sprague-Dawley rats). After 28 days of treatment, the rats were terminated, and their blood IL-6 concentrations were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We found that CA significantly reduced blood IL-6 concentration in the treatment group compared to negative control (p = 0.001). There was also no significant difference of blood IL-6 concentration between treatment group and positive control, which indicated that CA and vitamin E may be equipotent as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. These results suggested that CA may be a potential candidate for an antiaging agent in the next future.