Abstract: Objective: To explore the health benefits of Codonopsis pilosula/Vaccinium vitis-idaea drink (CVD) through evaluating its reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity and protective effect on mitochondrial damage. Methods: The functional factors of CVD total flavonoids and Codonopsis polysaccharide were determined by AlC13 colorimetry and sulfuric acid-phenol method respectively. Lipid peroxidation in liver and brain mitochondria was induced by Fe2+-vitamin C in vitro. TBA colorimetry was used to measure the content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). The scavenging activities of CVD against superoxide anion free radicals (O2－ ·) generated in reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-N-methylphenazonium methyl sulfate (PMS) system and hydroxyl free radicals ( ·OH) generated in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-Fe2+ system were measured by NBT reduction and Fenton reaction colorimetry, respectively. The Na2S2O3 titration method was used to measure the H2O2 scavenging activity of CVD. Permeability transition (PT) of liver mitochondria in rats was induced by Ca2+ in vitro and measured spectrophotometrically. Results: The contents of total flavonoids and Codonopsis polysaccharide in CVD were (95.2 ± 6.3) μg/mL and (7.5 ± 0.4) mg/mL, respectively. Mitochondria incubated at a given temperature with Fe2+-vitamin C system couldresult in an obvious increase of TBARS. CVD could inhibit TBARS production and significantly scavenge O2－ ·, ·OH and H2O2 in a dose-dependent manner within a certain concentration range. CVD could protect mitochondria from PT induced by Ca2+. Conclusion: The protective effect of CVD on mitochondrial damage can be achieved by antioxidation and scavenging ROS. Therefore, CVD has a heath-promoting effect.

Key words: Codonopsis pilosula, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, functional drink, reactive oxygen species, mitochondria