title: Toxicity and antioxidant capacity of Frangula alnus Mill. bark and its active component emodin.
abstract: In the present study toxicity of Frangula alnus Mill. bark, widely used as laxative, was investigated. Human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs) were treated with F. alnus bark extract or emodin (emodin is bark component with laxative property), and cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and parameters of oxidative stress were assessed. Also, polyphenol content of bark extract and antioxidant activity of the extract and emodin measured by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods were examined. The bark extract (500 μg/ml) produced cell death and DNA damage, while level of ROS changed at 250 μg/ml. Emodin induced cell death and DNA damage at 150 μg/ml and 200 μg/ml, respectively, and the increase of ROS was observed at 25 μg/ml. These results suggest that both, bark extract and emodin, are cyto/genotoxic to HPBLs and that oxidative stress is involved in the mechanism of their toxicity. The results on antioxidant activity showed that, unlike emodin, bark extract possess moderate antioxidant capacity (44.6%, 46.8% and 2.25 mmol Fe(2+)/g measured by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assay, respectively) that can be related to relatively high phenolic content (116.07 mg/g). However, due to toxicological properties use of F. alnus bark as well as emodin-containing preparations should be taken with caution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov Trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Sandra Radić
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Brkanac
authors.affiliation: Mutagenesis Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c. 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gerić
authors.affiliation: Mutagenesis Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c. 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gajski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov Trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Valerija
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vujčić
authors.affiliation: Mutagenesis Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c. 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garaj-Vrhovac
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, A. Kovačića 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kremer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, A. Kovačića 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: adomijan@pharma.hr.
authors.forename: Ana-Marija
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Domijan
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004642:Emodin / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D054368:Laxatives / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D008517:Phytotherapy; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D031955:Rhamnus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D054368:Laxatives; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D004642:Emodin
keywords: Cytotoxicity; Genotoxicity; Human peripheral blood lymphocytes; Oxidative stress; Polyphenol content