Context: Several studies have demonstrated that essential oils and their major components have antioxidant activity. p-Cymene is a monoterpene and a major constituent of essential oils of various species of plants. Objective: This paper evaluated the antioxidant potential of p-cymene in the hippocampus of mice by determining the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), nitrite content, and activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Materials and methods: Swiss mice were intraperitoneally treated with 0.05% Tween 80 dissolved in 0.9% saline solution, ascorbic acid 250 mg/kg, and p-cymene at doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg, respectively. After treatment, all groups were observed for 24 h, afterwards, the groups were euthanized for removal of the brain and dissection of the hippocampus. Results:The results of treatment with p-cymene were a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation and nitrite content at a dose of CYM 50: 65.54%, CYM 100: 73.29%, CYM 150: 89.83%, and CYM 50: 71.21%; CYM 100: 68.61% and CYM 150:67%, respectively, when compared with the control group. The results showed that at all tested doses, p-cymene produces an increase in SOD and catalase activity significantly at a dose of CYM 50: 22.7%, CYM 100: 33.9%, CYM 150: 63.1%, and CYM 50: 119.25%, CYM 100: 151.83% and CYM 150: 182.70%, respectively, when compared with the vehicle-treated group. Discussion and conclusion: The result of this study shows that p-cymene has an antioxidant potential in vivo and may act as a neuroprotective agent in the brain. This compound may present a new strategy in the development of treatment for many diseases in which oxidative stress plays an important pathophysiological role.

No abstract

Essential oils have played a prominent role in research on natural products, due to the high level of bioactive constituents, which include those derived from phenylpropanoids or terpenoids. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of isopentyl ferulate (IF) employing in vitro experimental models for elimination of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+), hydroxyl (OH) and nitric oxide (NO), as well as its capacity to electron transfer by reducing potential and inhibition of lipid peroxidation by TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) method. In all in vitro antioxidants protocols, isopentyl ferulate showed to be potent in a concentration of 54.4 nM, presenting a percentage inhibition of 91.29±0.57, 92.63±0.28, 83.62±0.18, 77.07±0.72 and 79.51±0.32% for DPPH, ABTS+, hydroxyl, nitric oxide and TBARS level, respectively. The increase of absorbance at 700 nm in the concentrations of 3.4, 6.8, 13.6, 27.2 and 54.4 nM shows the reducing potential of IF. Similar results were obtained with Trolox (559 nM), a hydrophilic synthetic analogue of α-tocopherol, which is widely used as a standard antioxidant. The present study demonstrated that isopentyl ferulate has an antioxidant activity in vitro experimental models, suggesting that this compound could enhance the development of a new product with antioxidant properties. However, further in vivo studies are needed to assign possible implications in the treatment of diseases related with free radicals.

No abstract