Planta Med 2014; 80 - P2B39
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394916

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of the pentane fraction of wild carrot oil

W Shebaby 1, C Daher 2, M El-Sibai 2, K Bodman-Smith 1, R Taleb 2, M Mroueh 3
  • 1School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, UK
  • 2School of Arts and Sciences, Natural Sciences Department, Lebanese American University, PO Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon
  • 3School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, PO Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon

Wild carrot, Daucus carota L. ssp. carota (Apiacae) is widely distributed throughout the world and is a part of the folk medicine in Lebanon. The present study evaluates the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of the pentane fraction of Daucus carota (PFDC) oil extract. The in vitro antioxidant properties of the PFDC was assessed using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay, FIC (ferrous ion chelating) assay and the FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assay. The in vivo antioxidant activity was assessed by examining the levels of hepatic antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) intoxicated mice. Plasma markers of hepatic damage were also measured in control and treated groups. GC-MS analysis of the PFDC revealed the presence of high content of sesquiterpenes and phenolic compounds. PFDC demonstrated medium DPPH and FRAP values, but high FIC ability. Pretreatment with PFDC reversed the CCl4-induced decrease in SOD, CAT, and GST levels and reduced significantly hepatic damage. The current results suggest that PFDC possess strong in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities and protect against CCl4 induced liver damage.