Antioxidant Activity in Some In vitro Oxidative Systems of the Essential Oils from the Fruit and the Leaves of Platycladus orientalis

Abstract

The antioxidant effects of the essential oils from the fruit and leaves of Platycladus orientalis Franco (Cupressacae) were studied. Accordingly, their ability to inhibit (i) LDL oxidation, (ii) red blood cells hemolysis, (iii) insulin and hemoglobin glycosylation, and (iv) linoleic acid peroxidation were assessed. The results showed that (a) the antioxidant effect of the leaf oil was significantly higher than the fruit oil in all oxidative systems employed in the present investigation, except LDL oxidation, (b) a greater effect was observed in glycosylation system with more than 60% antioxidant properties, and (c) in linoleic acid peroxidation system, a greater antioxidant effect was observed after 2 h incubation (about 45%).