Introduction: Introduction: Satureja is a genus in the Lamiaceae family, comprising around 200 species. These plants are widely recognized for their medicinal and aromatic properties, and they have been used in traditional medicine across various cultures to treat a range of ailments. Satureja species are rich in essential oils, which include compounds such as carvacrol and thymol. These compounds are known for their antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. Satureja species contain significant amounts of phenolic compounds, including flavonoids and polyphenols, which contribute to their therapeutic effects. Additional phytochemicals such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and various acids have been identified in different species. Satureja species exhibit a wide range of biological activities, making them valuable in both traditional and modern medicine, including antimicrobial and antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anticancer. Satureja is a rich phytochemical profile and a wide range of biological activities, making it a valuable resource for various applications, including food and beverages (as spice and flavoring agent due to its aromatic properties), pharmaceuticals (development of natural health products), and cosmetics (in cosmetic formulations for their fragrance and therapeutic benefits). To our knowledge, the protective effects against biomolecules (starch, lipid, protein), the anti-amylase and anti-lipase activity, and the anti-hyperglycemic capacity of Satureja essential oil (SEO) have not been explored. Therefore, to fill this information gap, this work aims to study the capacity of SEO for the inhibition of biomolecule oxidation and inhibition of digestive enzymes. The anti-hyperglycemic capacity of SEO on the NOX, NRF2, and NF-kB modulation in hyperglycemia-stimulated macrophages was investigated. Furthermore, SEO was encapsulated in gelatin dispersion. The authors found that SEO was able to alleviate oxidative stress in cells treated with hyperglycemia. These data suggest that SEO may be an antioxidant therapy in hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress responses.
Methods: Methods: SEO extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. SEO emulsified in Tween-80 and then diluted in phosphate buffer to an appropriate concentration for the appropriate application. Total antioxidant was determined by ABTS decolorization and monitoring light absorbance at 734 nm. The effects of SEO on inhibition of biomolecule oxidation, like bovine serum albumin, starch, lecithin, and linoleic acid in the presence of oxidant solution (CuSO4 plus H2O2) were evaluated and monitoring light absorbance at 270-300 nm. Lipase and amylase activities were determined by monitoring the decomposition of p-nitrophenyl butyrate and starch. The macrophage cell line was grown in DMEM media in the presence of SEO. The hydrogen peroxide production was monitored using FOX (iron-xylenol orange) reagent. The NOX activity was determined by monitoring NADH degradation at 345 nm. The total RNA isolation, first-strand cDNA synthesis, second-strand cDNA synthesis, amplification cycles, and threshold cycle analysis were performed according to standard kits. Primer design, in the form of an exon junction, was carried out using Allele ID7 software for the internal control and test genes
Results: Results: The major variation between different constituents of SEO was found in carvacrol (35.9-87.6%) and γ-terpinene (0.43-33.9%). Different SEO with different constituents exhibited comparable antioxidant capacity (IC50= 0.170-0.215 mg/mL), anti-linoleic acid oxidation (IC50=0.137-0.195 mg/mL), anti-lecithin oxidation (IC50=0.126-0.134 mg/mL), anti-starch oxidation (IC50=0.155-0.199 mg/mL), anti-protein oxidation (IC50=0.166-0.211 mg/mL), anti-amylase capacity (IC50=0.202-0.230 mg/mL), and anti-lipase capacity (IC50=0.24-0.260 mg/mL). Hyperglycemia stimulates NOX, NFR2, NF-kB, and hydrogen peroxide in macrophages. SEO (at 0.03 and 0.06 mg/mL) decreased NOX and NF-kB activity and hydrogen peroxide and increased NFR2 in hyperglycemia-stimulated macrophages. SEO can reduce oxidative stress indicators by inhibiting NOX and NF-KB expression and enhancing NRF2 expression in macrophages treated with hyperglycemia.
Conclusion: Conclusion: This research suggested that SEO oil can reduce oxidative stress indicators by inhibiting NOX and NF-KB expression and enhancing NRF2 expression in macrophages treated with hyperglycemia. Regardless of the differential chemical composition, the biological activity of SEO is similar. This means the synergism between all chemical components of SEO, especially monoterpenes and monoterpenoids, is more important in this biological activity until one of these compounds has with high percentage. The current investigation introduces SEO as a possible functional ingredient for bioactive food products for the treatment of diabetes, oxidative stress, and inflammation.