ABSTRACT
Nigella sativa commonly known as black seed or black cumin has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Our purpose in this study is to determine the apoptotic effects of black cumin seed oil (N. sativa) on CCl4 induced hepatoxicity via molecular markers. For this aim, four experimental groups were created and each of them was intraperitoneally exposed to CCl4 (G2), CCl4 + black cumin oil (G3) and black cumin oil (G4) except from control (G1). DNA fragmentation, RT-PCR, and caspase-3 assay were carried out. According to our results, a remarkable morphological anointment was observed at the G2. The G3 had the lower fatty comparing to G2. DNA profiles were visualized and DNA fragmentation was only in the G3. PCR results showed that BAX gene expression fairly rose in the G3 and BCL-2 gene expression was only determined in the G2. Decreased caspase-3 in G2, and the increased of it’s in G3, clearly supported the activation of the apoptotic pathway for injured cells. Consequently, our results indicated that the increases of caspase and BAX/BCL-2 rates demonstrated that there was an effective molecular mechanism based on black cumin induced apoptosis in rat liver which leads to the release of cytochrome-c from the mitochondria to the cytosol, finally activating caspase-3 and resultant apoptosis.
ABSTRACT
Adenocarpus complicatus is distributed throughout the Anatolian peninsula and is widely used for human and animal nutrition. The purpose of this work was to study the antioxidant properties and fatty acid composition of different parts of this plant (fruits and mixed materials). The species was collected from Golyuzu village of the Seydisehir district near Konya province, Turkey. Fruit and mixed parts obtained from this species were ground and a 15g sample was used to prepare methanolic extracts. Powdered plant samples were extracted with 100mL methanol in a mechanical shaker. The obtained extracts were filtered and concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure and were subsequently stored at -20°C. Antioxidant components, namely total phenolic and flavonoid content, were detected for each extract using spectrophotometric methods. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated by various assays including phosphomolybdenum, DPPH free radical scavenging capacity, metal chelating activity, and ferric and cupric ion reducing power. The fatty acid profiles of plant parts were also determined by using gas chromatography. The total phenolic content of fruit (36.21mgGAE/g) was higher than that of mixed materials (13.79mgGAE/g). The methanolic extract of mixed material had higher amounts of flavonoid than fruit extract. The free radical scavenging activity of extracts was expressed as IC50 value (μg/mL) (amount required to inhibit DPPH radical formation by 50%). The lower IC50 value reflects better free radical scavenging action. The radical scavenging activity of the samples was compared with BHT, it showed the mixed material to be almost two times more potent than the fruit extract. However, BHT is an excellent free radical scavenger with an IC50 of 34.061μg/mL. The ferric and cupric reducing power potentials of the extracts were expressed as EC50 value (the effective concentration at which the absorbance was 0.5). Fruit extract exhibited strong ferric reducing power with an EC50 of 871.25μg/mL. The metal chelating activity of the extracts increased with concentration. Chelating effect was 83.60% for fruit extract at 1mg/mL concentration. Oil content of fruit and mixed parts were detected as 6.71 and 6.14%, respectively. A total of 32 fatty acids were found in the oil. Essential fatty acids (linoleic and α-linolenic acid) were identified as the most abundant fatty acids in the oil. These results demonstrated that this plant species can be considered as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants. Likewise, the oil obtained from the plant can be used as a source of essential fatty acids for food and pharmacological applications. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (1): 337-346. Epub 2014 March 01.
Adenocarpus complicatus se distribuye por toda la península de Anatolia y es ampliamente utilizado para la nutrición humana y animal. El propósito de este trabajo fue estudiar las propiedades antioxidantes y la composición de ácidos grasos de diferentes partes de la planta (frutos y partes mezcladas). Las especies fueron recolectadas en Golyuzu, Seydisehir, cerca de la provincia Konya en Turquía. Para preparar los extractos metanólicos se tomó una muestra de 15g de frutas y partes mezcladas de esta especie. Muestras de plantas en polvo se extrajeron con 100ml de metanol en un agitador mecánico. Los extractos obtenidos se filtraron y se concentraron a sequedad bajo presión reducida y posteriormente se almacenaron a -20°C. Para cada extracto, mediante métodos espectrofotométricos se detectaron los componentes antioxidantes, llamados contenido total de fenoles y flavonoides. La capacidad antioxidante se evaluó mediante diversos ensayos: fosfomolibdeno, capacidad de captación de radicales libres DPPH, actividad quelante de metales y poder reductor de iones férricos y cúpricos. También se determinaron los perfiles de ácidos grasos de partes de la planta mediante el uso de cromatografía de gases. El contenido fenólico total de la fruta (36.21mgGAE/g) fue mayor que la de los materiales mezclados (13.79mgGAE/g). El extracto metanólico de material mezclado tenía una mayor cantidad de flavonoides que el extracto de la fruta. La actividad captadora de radicales libres de los extractos se expresó como valor de IC50 (mg/ml) (cantidad necesaria para inhibir la formación de radicales DPPH en un 50%). El valor bajo de IC50 refleja mejor acción eliminadora de radicales libres. La actividad captadora de radicales de las muestras se comparó con BHT, se mostró que el material mezclado es casi dos veces más potente que el extracto de la fruta. Sin embargo, BHT es un excelente eliminador de radicales libres con una IC50 de 34.061μg/mL. El potencial de reducción férrico y cúprico de los extractos se expresó como valor de CE50 (la concentración efectiva a la que la absorbancia fue de 0.5). El extracto de la fruta exhibe fuerte poder reductor férrico con una EC50 de 871.25μg/mL. La actividad quelante de metales de los extractos aumentó con la concentración. El efecto quelante de extracto de fruta fue de 83.60% en una concentración de 1mg/ml. El contenido de aceite del fruto y partes mixtas fue 6.71 y 6.14%, respectivamente. Un total de 32 ácidos grasos fueron encontrados en el aceite. Los ácidos grasos esenciales (ácido linoleico y α-linolénico) fueron identificados como los ácidos grasos más abundantes en el aceite. Estos resultados demostraron que esta especie vegetal se puede considerar como una alternativa a los antioxidantes sintéticos. Del mismo modo, el aceite obtenido de la planta se puede utilizar como una fuente de ácidos grasos esenciales para alimentos y aplicaciones farmacológicas.