Antioxidant, antigenotoxic and cytotoxic activity of essential oils and methanol extracts of hyssopus officinalis l. Subsp. aristatus (godr.) nyman (lamiaceae)

Abstract

Abstract:Hyssopus officinalisL. is a well-known aromatic plant used in traditional medicine and the foodand cosmetics industry. The aim of this study is to assess the antioxidant, genotoxic, antigenotoxic andcytotoxic properties of characterized hyssop essential oils and methanol extracts. Chemical compositionwas analyzed by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography with diodearray detection and mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-MS), respectively. Antioxidant activity was examinedby 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) tests; genotoxicand antigenotoxic activity were examined by the comet assay, while cytotoxicity was evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide dye (MTT) test against tumor cell lines (SW480,MDA-MB 231, HeLa) and non-transformed human lung fibroblast cell lines (MRC-5). The essential oilswere rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons (e.g., limonene; 7.99–23.81%), oxygenated monoterpenes (1,8-cineole; 38.19–67.1%) and phenylpropanoids (methyl eugenol; 0.00–28.33%). In methanol extracts, the mostabundant phenolics were chlorogenic and rosmarinic acid (23.35–33.46 and 3.53–17.98 mg/g, respectively).Methanol extracts expressed moderate to weak antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50= 56.04–199.89μg/mL,FRAP = 0.667–0.959 mmol Fe2+/g). Hyssop preparations significantly reduced DNA damage in humanwhole blood cells, induced by pretreatment with hydrogen peroxide. Methanol extracts exhibited selectiveand potent dose- and time-dependent activity against the HeLa cell line. Results of the current studydemonstrated notableH.officinalismedicinal potential, which calls for further investigation.