title: Antioxidant, cytotoxic and DNA protective properties ofAchillea eriophoraDC. andAchillea biebersteiniiAfan. extracts: A comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Achilleais a traditional medicinal herb which contains different phenol and flavonoid compounds that are responsible forAchilleapharmacological effects. We aimed to determine phenol and flavonoid contents, besides antioxidant activities of different extracts fromAchillea eriophoraa(A. eriophora) DC. andAchillea biebersteinii(A. biebersteinii) Afan. (endemic species in Iran) and to investigate their effects on human cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Achilleaextracts, were prepared by maceration and shaking methods, from different parts (aerial parts, stem, leaves and inflorescence) of two species using methanol and ethanol as solvents. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were measured by spectrophotometry, and antioxidant activities of the extracts were determined by DPPH radical scavenging, BCB and TBARS assays. Cytotoxicity and antioxidant activities of the extracts were investigated in Human Foreskin Fibroblast (HFF3) cells using MTT, comet and H2O2assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Methanol extracts ofA. biebersteiniiprepared from leaves and inflorescence by maceration method exhibited maximum phenol (1657.58 ± 36.45 mg GAE/100 g DW) and flavonoid (264.00 ± 62.16 mg QUE/100 g DW) contents. Leaf methanol extract showed significantly higher antioxidant activity (0.0276 ± 0.003, 0.16 ± 0.016 and 13.96 ± 0.26 mg/ml for DPPH, BCB and TBARS IC50s, respectively) than those of the other extracts. Leaf extract ofA. biebersteiniiwas not cytotoxic even at the highest examined dose (512 µg/ml) and inhibited cell toxicity induced by H2O2(98% viability for the cells pretreated with plant extract in the presence of H2O2). Comet assay also confirmed high DNA protective activity of leaf extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Achilleaextracts possess remarkable antioxidant activity, and could be good natural alternatives to synthetic antioxidants in pharmaceutical and food industries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varasteh-Kojourian
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abrishamchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran; Cell and Molecular Biotechnology Research Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Matin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Asili
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ejtehadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khosravitabar
keywords: Comet; DPPH; Flavonoids; HFF3 cells; MTT assay; Phenol