title: Chemical composition and protective effect of oregano (Origanum heracleoticum L.) ethanolic extract on oxidative damage and on inhibition of NO in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.
abstract: The present study shows the chemical profile and the in vitro properties (antioxidant and inhibition of nitric oxide production) of the Origanum heracleoticum L. (Lamiaceae). The ethanolic extract of the aerial parts is characterized by terpenes and fatty acids. The extract, with high total phenol and flavonoid content, showed a significant radical-scavenging activity (IC(50) value of 12.8 μg/mL) using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test and an interesting antioxidant activity with the β-carotene bleaching test (IC(50) values of 12.9 and 14.1 μg/mL at 30 and 60 min of incubation, respectively). The test for the inhibition of NO production, performed using the murine monocytic macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line, showed that the extract had significant activity with an IC(50) value of 108.5 μg/mL. The cytotoxic effect of O. heracleoticum extract in presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1 μg/mL) was evaluated but found to be negligible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Calabria, I-87036 Rende (CS), Italy. filomena.conforti@unical.it
authors.forename: Filomena
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conforti
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marrelli
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menichini
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tundis
authors.forename: Giancarlo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Statti
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Solimene
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menichini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000431:Ethanol