Abstract
The composition of the essential oils of aerial parts of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum) were analyzed by GC/MS. The peppermint and pennyroyal oils were consisted mainly of ketonic compounds (54.9-71.7%), while basil oil was rich in phenolic compounds (60%). Pulegone (65.1%), estragole (55.5%) and menthane (21.1%) were identified as the dominant components in essential oils of pennyroyal, basil and peppermint, respectively. The efficacy of their essential oils to inhibition the peroxidation process caused by 7,12-dimethylbenzo(a)anthracene (DMBA) in female mice was evaluated by estimating some possible hepatic and renal antioxidant markers. Enhanced of the lipid peroxidation in liver and kidney tissues of the mice treated with DMBA was accompanied by significant (P<0.05) increase in the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) level when comparing with untreated mice (control group). However, their values were decreased in the liver with 1.16, 1.10, 1.23, 1.20 and 0.37 times respectively of the control. Administration of essential oils to DMBA-mice caused significantly (P<0.05) decreased in hepatic and renal malonaldhyde (MAD) levels and increased the levels of glutathione (GSH) and glutathione dependent enzyme (GST) as well as enhanced the levels of antioxidant defense enzyme. In the liver, the basil essential oil caused significant decrease of MAD level 79% of the control and increase the GSH, GST, SOD, CAT and POD levels was 1.7, 3.2, 2.86, 2.90 and 1.91 times respectively than that in the control group (G1).