Protective effect of Cichorium glandulosum seeds from ultraviolet B-induced damage in rat liver mitochondria.

Cichorium glandulosum Boiss. et Huet, a common herb for treating hepatitis, is indigenous to Europe, Western Asia, and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. This study aims at evaluating the protective activity of different extracts from C. glandulosum seeds against experimental oxidation- and ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced damage in rat liver mitochondria. The antioxidant property of different extracts from C. glandulosum seeds was investigated by employing various established in vitro systems, such as α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), and reducing power assay. The protective effects of different C. glandulosum seed extracts against UVB-induced phototoxicity in a mitochondria model were also evaluated by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, glutathione, lipid hydroperoxide, conjugated diene, and 4-hydroxynonenal. The main compounds in C. glandulosum seeds were identified by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS. The results showed that C. glandulosum seed extracts have strong antioxidant activity, in which the ethyl acetate extract (EE) and n-butanol extract (BE) showed better activity than other extracts. In a UVB-induced mitochondria model, both EE and BE have better antioxidant activity and protective effects against phototoxicity than the petroleum ether extract, chloroform extract, and water extract. The differences in antioxidant activity and photoprotective capacity among these five extracts are associated with their phenolic compound content. Therefore, research on this function of C. glandulosum seeds may broaden their applications in the food and medical industry.