title: Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiulcer and analgesic activities of nettle (Urtica dioica L.).
abstract: In this study, water extract of nettle (Urtica dioica L.) (WEN) was studied for antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiulcer and analgesic properties. The antioxidant properties of WEN were evaluated using different antioxidant tests, including reducing power, free radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and metal chelating activities. WEN had powerful antioxidant activity. The 50, 100 and 250 microg amounts of WEN showed 39, 66 and 98% inhibition on peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion, respectively, while 60 microg/ml of alpha-tocopherol, exhibited only 30% inhibition. Moreover, WEN had effective reducing power, free radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and metal chelating activities at the same concentrations. Those various antioxidant activities were compared to standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), quercetin, and alpha-tocopherol. In addition, total phenolic compounds in the WEN were determined as pyrocatechol equivalent. WEN also showed antimicrobial activity against nine microorganisms, antiulcer activity against ethanol-induced ulcerogenesis and analgesic effect on acetic acid-induced stretching.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Arts, Atatürk University, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilhami
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gülçin
authors.forename: O Irfan
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Küfrevioglu
authors.forename: Münir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oktay
authors.forename: Mehmet Emin
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Büyükokuroglu
mesh_terms: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D026982:Urtica dioica
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts