Title:Cymbopogon citratus Protects Erythrocytes from Lipid Peroxidation in
vitro
Volume: 20
Issue: 2
Author(s): Francisca De Oliveira E Silva, Julio Cesar Mendes Soares*, Aniele Valdez, Marcos Vinícios da Silva Ferreira and Marcelo da Silva Cecim
Affiliation:
- Large Animal Clinic Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
Keywords:
Lemongrass, erythrocytes, lipid peroxidation, hyperglycemia, ascorbic acid, essential oil.
Abstract:
Introduction: Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile compounds, primarily composed
of terpenes and abundant aromatic plants. For example, Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass)
is an aromatic plant that produces a monoterpene-rich essential oil, and studies show that this essential
oil has excellent antioxidant activity. Erythrocytes incubated under high sugar levels are constantly
exposed to reactive oxygen species, which results in the oxidation of their membranes.
Objective: The aim of this article is to investigate the antioxidant activity of lemongrass essential
oil and its protective effect on erythrocytes exposed to high levels of glucose.
Materials and Methods: The essential oil was obtained by steam dragging distillation; blood cell
suspensions were incubated with glucose 5, 20, 50, and 100 mmol/L. The amount of TBARS produced
was measured at 532 nm. In addition, the percentage of antioxidant activity was assessed by
DPPH free radical assay.
Results: Lemongrass essential oil showed an increase in the antioxidant activity up to 240 mg/ml,
while ascorbic acid used as positive control showed a dose-dependent increase in antioxidant activity
starting at 1 mmol/L up to 18 mmol/L. However, such a lemongrass dose prevented peroxidation
in erythrocytes incubated under a high glucose media, whereas ascorbic acid showed a protective
effect only at a concentration of 1 mmol/L.
Conclusion: Lemongrass essential oil has high antioxidant activity compared to standard antioxidant
as ascorbic acid, and also acts as a protective agent against erythrocyte lipoperoxidation due to
hyperglycemia in vitro.
