INFLUENCE OF CERTAIN ESSENTIAL OILS ON CARCINOGEN-METABOLIZING ENZYMES AND ACID-SOLUBLE SULFHYDRYLS IN MOUSE-LIVER

The influence of essential oils from naturally occurring plant dietary items such as cardamom, celery seed, cumin seed, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, and zanthoxylum on the activities of hepatic carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes (cytochrome P-450, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, and glutathione S-transferase) and acid-soluble sulfhydryl level was investigated in Swiss albino mice. Each oil was fed by gavage at 10 mu l/day for 14 days and then the animals were sacrificed and their hepatic enzyme activities and sulfhydryl levels were evaluated. Only nutmeg and zanthoxylum oils induced cytochrome P-450 level significantly (p < 0.05), whereas cardamom oil caused a significant reduction in its activity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity was significantly elevated only by treatment with ginger oil (p < 0.01), whereas nutmeg oil caused a significant reduction in its activity (p < 0.01). The remaining oils did not significantly alter the level of cytochrome P-450 and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity. Glutathione S-transferase activity was significantly elevated in ah experimental groups (p < 0.1-p < 0.001) compared with controls. The acid-soluble sulfhydryl was significantly elevated only by the essential oils of cardamom (p < 0.05), nutmeg (p < 0.05), and zanthoxylum (p < 0.01). Our observations suggest that intake of essential oils affects the host enzymes associated with activation and detoxication of xenobiotic compounds, including chemical carcinogens and mutagens.