Abstract

Context: Hyssopus angustifolius M. Bieb. (Lamiaceae) is one of the most important medicinal plants in Iranian traditional medicine for the treatment of lung inflammation, laryngitis and cough relief. Much attention has been paid to this medicinal plant because of its traditional uses. Objective: The present study examined the antioxidant and antihemolytic activities of ethyl acetate extract of stems, leaf and flowers of Hyssopus angustifolius. Materials and methods: Antioxidant activity of extracts was evaluated by employing six different models, i.e., DPPH, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide scavenging, metal chelating and reducing power activities and hemoglobin-induced linoleic acid system. Also, antihemolytic activity was evaluated against hydrogen peroxide-induced hemolysis. Results: Flowers extract showed the better activity than leaf and stems extracts in DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50 was 275.4 +/- 7.6 mu g mL(-1)). Leaf, stems and flowers extracts showed good nitric oxide scavenging activity (IC50 were 376.6 +/- 11.4 mu g mL(-1) for flowers, 297.6 +/- 9.6 mu g mL(-1) mu g mL(-1) for leaves and 837.8 +/- 19.2 mu g mL(-1) for stems). The leaf extract exhibited better hydrogen peroxide scavenging and Fe2+ chelating activity than stems and flowers extracts. In hemoglobin-induced linoleic acid system, all of the extracts exhibited very good activity. Also, extracts show weak reducing power activity. The ethyl acetate extract of leaf showed better antihemolytic activity than the flower and stems (IC50 was 94.0 +/- 2.4 mu g mL(-1)). Discussion and conclusion: These findings give a scientific basis to the traditional usage of Hyssopus angustifolius, also showing its potential as rich sources of natural antioxidant compounds.