ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF LUNULARIA-CRUCIATA (BRYOPHYTA) EXTRACT

The effects of Lunularia cruciata (L.) Dum (Bryophyta) acetonic extrac t was studied in vitro by means of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence ; (CL) emission from human peripheral whole blood phagocytes and isola ted polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). L. cruciata adult thalli unde rwent extraction with acetone. CL emission was evaluated in an automat ed luminometer, measuring the oxygen free-radical production by phagoc ytes incubated with opsonized zymosan (OZ) off phorbol myristate aceta te (PMA), in absence or in presence of various concentrations of L. cr uciata extract. The CL results indicated that L. cruciata induced sign ificant changes in light emission from whole blood phagocytes, as well as isolated PMNs. Its inhibitory activity was more evident when resti ng isolated PMNs were studied. When the cells were activated, the grea test inhibitory effect was observed with PMA. The L. cruciata activity could be caused by several compounds, such ais flavonoids and\or sesq uiterpenes, present in the acetonic extract.