Essential oil from halophyte Lobularia maritima: protective effects against CCl4-induced hepatic oxidative damage in rats and inhibition of the production of proinflammatory gene expression by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages

Abstract

The present study evaluates the chemical profiling of the essential oil of a halophyte, L. maritima (LmEO), and its protective potential against CCl₄-induced oxidative stress in rats. Forty compounds have been identified in LmEO. The major components are α-pinene (3.51%), benzyl alcohol (8.65%), linalool (22.43%), pulegone (3.33%), 1-phenyl butanone (7.33%), globulol (4.32%), γ-terpinene (6.15%), terpinen-4-ol (4.31%), α-terpineol (3.9%), ledol (3.59%), epi-α-cadinol (3.05%) and α-cadinol (4.91%). In comparison with the CCl₄-intoxicated group, LmEO treatment resulted in decreased liver serum marker enzymes, decreased lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant enzyme levels, with overall further amelioration of oxidative stress. The administration of LmEO to CCl₄-treated rats at a dose of 250 mg kg⁻¹ body weight significantly reduced the toxic effects and the oxidative stress on the liver, thus validating the traditional medicinal claim of this plant. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory activity of LmEO was evaluated in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine RAW 264.7 cells. Our oil could modulate the inflammatory mode of the macrophages by causing reduction in iNOS and COX₂ enzymes as well as in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α cytokine levels. These findings suggest that LmEO exerts anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines.