Planta Med 2013; 79 - PJ18
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1352222

Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of Vitex agnus-castus from five different regions of Turkey

G Gulsoy Toplan 1, E Eroglu Ozkan 1, T Taskin 2, G Ozhan 3
  • 1Deparment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, 34116, Istanbul/TURKEY
  • 2Deparment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, 34668, Istanbul/TURKEY
  • 3Deparment of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, 34116, Istanbul/TURKEY

Vitex agnus-castus (the chaste tree) is a shrub of the Verbenaceae family growing in the Mediterranean region and Central Asia. It has been used for the treatment of menstrual problems including premenstrual symptoms and spasmodic dysmenorrhea. Traditionally, the fruits of the plant have been used as a digestive, stomachic, diuretic, antifungal and anti-anxiety in Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate the total phenolic content as well as the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the methanolic extracts of the fruits of V. agnus-castus collected from five different regions of Turkey, namely Manavgat, Bodrum, Altınoluk, Enez, Zonguldak. The antioxidant capacities of the extracts were evaluated with DPPH radical-scavenging activity assay, including total phenolic content. The cytotoxic potential of the extracts was determined by MTT and LDH assays on HeLa-cells (human cancer cell line) and NRK-52E-cells (rat kidney cell line). In our previous study, the casticin amount of these extracts was determined by HPLC. Results revealed that casticin has been found in high amount in Manavgat and Bodrum samples as the responsible antioxidant agents. Two extracts prepared from samples from Manavgat and Bodrum exhibited significant radical scavenging activity with higher total phenolic contents compared to the other extracts.