Effect of Perilla frutescens aqueous extract on free radical production by human neutrophil leukocytes

Objective. The present study was intended to evaluate the antioxidant properties of aqueous extract of the Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton.
Material and methods. The antioxidant properties of Perilla frutescens were analyzed employing neutrophil leukocytes stimulated by the nonopsonized Escherichia coli. The neutrophil leukocytes were affected by adding an aqueous extract of Perilla. The generation of the reactive oxygen species by neutrophil leukocytes was investigated using assessment of luminol- and lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence.
Results. We found out that the treatment of neutrophil leukocytes with the Perilla aqueous extract inhibited the release of reactive oxygen species, measured as luminol- and lucigenindependent chemiluminescence, by about 30% and more than 90%, respectively.
Conclusion. The results of this study show that the aqueous extract of the Perilla frutescens inhibits significantly free radical production by neutrophil leukocytes, which was especially obvious when the lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence assessment method was applied.