| RESEARCH ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2011 | Volume
: 43
| Issue : 5 | Page : 526-531 |
An evaluation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive activities of essential oil from Curcuma longa. L
Vijayastelter B Liju, Kottarapat Jeena, Ramadasan Kuttan
Department of Biochemistry, Amala Cancer Research Centre, Amala Nagar, Thrissur 680 555, Kerala, India
Correspondence Address:
Ramadasan Kuttan
Department of Biochemistry, Amala Cancer Research Centre, Amala Nagar, Thrissur 680 555, Kerala
India
 Source of Support: Grant from Spices Board, Cochin, India, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.84961
Objectives : This study was aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, antioxidant potential in vitro and in vivo, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive activity of turmeric oil. Materials and Methods : Chemical analysis of turmeric oil was done by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Antioxidant activities in vitro was done by six different methods and in vivo antioxidant activity was determined by measuring superoxide generation from macrophages treated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) as well as determining antioxidant level after feeding the oil orally for one month. Anti-inflammatory activity was studied in mice using carrageenan, dextran, and formalin. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated by using acetic acid-induced writhing movement in mice. Results : The main constituent of essential oil of turmeric was found to be ar-turmerone (61.79%), curlone (12.48%), and ar-curcumene (6.11%). Turmeric oil was found to have in vitro antioxidant activity and IC 50 for scavenging superoxides, hydroxyl radicals, and lipid peroxidation were 135 mg/ml, 200 mg/ml, and 400 mg/ml, respectively. The ferric-reducing activity for 50 mg of turmeric essential oil was found to be 5 mM. Intraperitoneal administration of oil was found to inhibit PMA-induced superoxide radicals elicited by macrophages. Oral administration of turmeric oil for one month to mice significantly increased superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and glutathione reductase enzyme levels in blood and glutathione-S-transferase and superoxide dismutase enzymes in liver. Turmeric oil showed significant reduction in paw thickness in carrageenan, dextran-induced acute inflammation, and formalin-induced chronic inflammation. The drug produced significant antinociceptive activity (P < 0.001) at all doses studied. Conclusions : These results demonstrated that turmeric oil has potential health benefits as it can scavenge the free radicals and produce significant anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities.
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