NIS Labs’ CAP-e Assay Evaluates Cellular Antioxidant Protection

Herbal ingredient BioPM-101, developed and produced by Biotropics Malaysia Berhad, has been shown to protect live cells from oxidative damage, according to an award-winning test developed by NIS Labs.

Unlike other tests such as the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) test that simply demonstrate an ingredient’s antioxidant capacity, the CAP-e test (Cell-Based Antioxidant Protection in Erythrocytes) is a cell-based assay that evaluates whether natural products are of actual biological relevance in that they can protect living cells. It tests whether an ingredient has cellular bioavailability in vitro and whether it prevents oxidation within the cell.

“Many test types used for measuring antioxidants have limited relevance for understanding the biological effects of antioxidants,” say representatives from NIS Labs. “Therefore, the relevance of antioxidants and antioxidant testing, especially as it relates to marketing claims in the natural products industry, has come into question. However, with the introduction of the CAP-e bioassay, that has changed.”

The company adds that the elevated analysis that CAP-e provides can often serve as a baseline, or starting point, for further exploring the anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating activities involving generation of free radicals by different cell types.