Ferrous ion chelating, nitric oxide radical scavenging and cytotoxicity of Satureja sahendica Bornm. essential oil

Utilization of plants as antioxidants in food processing is a hope for substitution of synthetic antioxidants. Biological properties of Saturejasahendica Bornm. essential oils have not been studied yet. Ferrous ion chelating, nitric oxide radical scavenging and cytotoxicity of S. sahendica and commercial Satureja essential oils were studied. Chelating reaction was dose dependent with an IC50 of 750 and 190 µg in S sahendica and the commercial oils respectively. S.sahendica oil with 39.5 fold flavonoid content exhibited nitric oxide radical scavenging with an IC50 of 6 and 195 µg in S sahendica and the commercial oils respectively. The total phenolics of Satureja sahendica and the commercial Satureja were 170.5 ± 8.53 and 23.83 ± 2.24 µg Gallic acid equivalent per mg sample. The concentrations from S. sahendica and commercial satureja oils required to exert 50% fatal effect (IC50) on healthy human normal lymphocytes and Hela cells were 253.66, 1490, 0.19, and 1.09 µg respectively. The results indicate nutritional value of these plants in preventing formation of toxic reactive oxygen species and that Satureja, as a good antioxidant, can directly scavenge NO and O2−. With a view to cancerous cells killing properties of the oils at their lower concentrations, one may conclude applicability of these oils in combating cancerous cells without having a adverse effect on normal healthy cells.