Alert for Consumption of Dorema aucheri: an Edible Medicinal Plant of Iran

Dorema aucheri (Apiaceae) grows in west and southwest of Iran. Young leaves of this plant are used orally as pickle or for cooking some local foods, as well as for the treatment of parasitic digestive infections and constipation.

The aim of present study was evaluation of cytotoxic potential and total phenols determination of D. aucheri young aerial parts extract and fractions and its pickle extract.

The dried powders of D. aucheri young aerial parts and pickles were macerated with 80% methanol and fractionated with petroleum ether (PE), chloroform (CL), ethyl acetate (EA) and methanol (ME). Cytotoxic activity of the total extract, fractions and pickle extract on HT-29, MDA-MB-231, A549, Hela cancer and normal fibroblast cell lines were assessed by MTT assay. Total phenol contents of all samples were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method.

The potent cytotoxic activities were shown by PE and CL fractions on normal fibroblast cell line with IC50 equal to 17.66±2.3 and 48.80±1.24 µg/ml, respectively. Other fractions and extracts didn’t have considerable cytotoxic effects on other cell lines. In addition, two mentioen fractions had the lowest total phenols. ME and EA fractions with highest amounts of phenols showed the lowest cytotoxicity.

It is concluded D. aucheri compounds have potential to exhibit toxic effects on healthy cells. On the other hand, there is negative correlation between cytotoxicity and phenol contents of D. aucheri fractions.