Objective: To analyse the chemical composition of essential oil isolated from the leaves ofToddalia asiatica (L.) Lam. and to test its bioactive properties. Methods: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis and antigenotoxicity, cytotoxicity and antioxidant studies of isolated oil. Results: GC-MS analysis of oil revealed the presence of 42 compounds. The major compound in the oil was β-phellandrene (21.35%). DNA protecting activity of oil was considerably significant against H2O2 induced genotoxicity in human lymphocytes. Concentration of oil needed to protect 50% of DNA was calculated as 100 μg/mL. Cytotoxicity of oil against breast (MCF-7) and colorectal (HT-29) cancer cells were observed with the IC50 value of (7.80±0.03) μg/mL and (100.00±0.16) μg/mL respectively. Considerable DPPH free radical, hydroxyl radical scavenging, iron chelation and inhibition of lipid peroxidation activities of oil were also studied. Conclusions: The results of the present study clearly indicate oil could be a promising candidate for food and drug preparation.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the total phenolic content, DNA protecting and radical scavenging activity of ethanolic leaf extracts of three Lamiaceae plants, i.e. Anisomelos malabarica (A. malabarica), Leucas aspera (L. aspera) and Ocimum basilicum (O. basilicum).

METHODSThe total polyphenols and flavonoids were analyzed in the ethanolic leaf extracts of the lamiaceae plants. To determine the DNA protecting activity, various concentrations of the plant extracts were prepared and treated on cultured HepG2 human lung cancer cells. The pretreated cells were exposed to H2O2 to induce DNA damage through oxidative stress. Comet assay was done and the tail length of individual comets was measured. Nitric oxide and superoxide anion scavenging activities of lamiaceae plants were analyzed.

RESULTSAmong the three plant extracts, the highest amount of total phenolic content was found in O. basilicum (189.33 mg/g), whereas A. malabarica showed high levels of flavonoids (10.66 mg/g). O. basilicum also showed high levels of DNA protecting (85%) and radical scavenging activity.

CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study shows that bioactive phenols present in lamiaceae plants may prevent carcinogenesis through scavenging free radicals and inhibiting DNA damage.

Cadmium Chloride ; toxicity ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Free Radical Scavengers ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology