The antioxidant properties of the golden valerian

The essential oil of the golden valerian (Patrinia scabiosaefolia) was examined for its chemical composition and bioactivity. The Chinese study reported that the extract demonstrated significant anti-tumor, anti-neuroinflammatory, and antioxidant activities.

The Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine supported this study, and its results were published in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine.

• The whole plant of the golden valerian – a medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine – was processed and distilled to extract its essential oil. The extract was analyzed for its contents, which included caryophyllenes and phenols.
• The cytotoxic properties of the essential oil was tested on cultures of eight human carcinoma cell lines. The oil’s ability to inhibit neuroinflammation was determined through its effect on the release of inflammatory cytokines. Finally, its antioxidant activity was tested using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay.
• Regarding its cytotoxic activity, the essential oil was able to inhibit the growth of the human carcinoma cells. The effect was dependent on the dose, which ranged from 50 micrograms per milliliters to 200 mcg/mL depending on the cancer cell line.
• Furthermore, the essential oil was also able to scavenge the DPPH radical. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration was 1.455 milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL).
• The oil was also able to suppress the release of interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6, the cytokines that trigger inflammation in cells.

The researchers concluded that the essential oil of the golden valerian could be a promising source of bioactive substances that can stop the growth of cancer tumor, protect the brain from inflammation, and scavenge toxic free radicals.

If you want to read the full study, you may visit this link.

For more stories about the beneficial properties of essential oils, visit EssentialOils.news.

Journal Reference:

Lin J, Cai Q-Y, Xu W, Lin J-M, Peng J. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTICANCER, ANTI-NEUROINFLAMMATORY, AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF PATRINIA SCABIOSAEFOLIA. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. 1 September 2016; 24(3):207–212. DOI: 10.1007/s11655-016-2459-4.