Antioxidant and Antihaemolytic Activities of the Leaves of Kefe cumin (Laser trilobum L) Umbelliferae

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant and antihaemolytic properties of the leaves of Laser trilubum grown in Gaduk, Iran. Methods: The antioxidant and antihaemolytic activities of the hydroalcohol extract of L. trilobum L. leaf were investigated by haemoglobin-induced linoleic acid peroxidation, scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide, as well as by assessment of reducing power and Fe 2+ chelating activity, using standard methods. Phenol and flavonoid contents were determined as gallic acid and quercetin equivalents, respectively. Results: The extract showed antioxidant activity in some models, with 50 % inhibitory concentration (IC50) for DPPH radical-scavenging activity being 147.1 ± 7.5 μg ml -1 . The extract showed good nitric oxide-scavenging activity of between 0.1 and 1.6 mg ml -1 (IC50 = 517.7 ± 23.1 vs. 20 ± 0.01 μg ml -1 for quercetin), weak Fe 2+ chelating ability (IC50, 906.9 ± 37.8 μg ml -1 ), and low antioxidant activity in haemoglobin-induced linoleic acid system. However, it was capable of scavenging hydrogen peroxide in a concentration-dependent manner while also exhibiting potent antihaemolytic activity against H2O2 induced haemolysis (IC50, 169.6 ± 6.9 μg ml -1 ). Total phenolic content was 75 ± 3 mg gallic acid equivalent/g and total flavonoid content 59.2 ± 2.1 mg quercetin equivalent/g. The amounts of gallic acid, quercetin and rutin were 0.99 ± 0.04, 0.63 ± 0.01 and < 0.10 μg/mg, respectively. Conclusion: L. trilobum exhibited good but varying levels of antioxidant and antihaemolytic activities in nearly all the models studied, when compared with controls.