Jatropha curcas leaf and bark fractions protect against ultraviolet radiation-B induced DNA damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes

• Antioxidant potential of Jatropha curcas.
• UVB-radiation-induced DNA damage in cultured human blood lymphocytes.
• RB4 fraction and L1 fraction protect UVB-radiation-induced DNA damage in HPBL.

The present study is conducted to investigate the antioxidant potential of Jatropha curcas root bark extract (RB4 fraction) and leaf extract (L1 fraction), and to study their effects on UVB-radiation-induced DNA damage in cultured human blood lymphocytes. In this study, J. curcas showed strong antioxidant property in different free radical scavenging systems. Both the fractions effectively scavenged hydroxyl (OH), superoxide anion (O2–), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical cation (ABTS+) in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC50 (Inhibitory Concentration 50) values of J. curcas fractions were compared to standard ascorbic acid used in this study. The antioxidant potential of a compound was directly proportional to the photoprotective effect. In this study, human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBL) were exposed to UVB-radiation and there was an increase in comet attributes (% tail DNA, tail length, tail movement and Olive tail moment). Jatropha curcas RB4 fraction and L1 fraction treatment before UVB-irradiation significantly decreased the % tail DNA, tail length, tail moment and Olive tail moment in irradiated HPBL. These results suggested that J. curcas exhibited strong antioxidant property and RB4 and L1 fractions protected UVB-radiation-induced DNA damage in HPBL.