Protective effect of extract of Crataegus pinnatifida pollen on DNA damage response to oxidative stress

The protective effect of extract of Crataegus pinnatifida (Rosaceae) pollen (ECPP) on the DNA damage response to oxidative stress was investigated and assessed with an alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay and pBR322 plasmid DNA breaks in site-specific and non-site-specific systems. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, individual phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), radical scavenging activity, FRAP, and chelating activity) were also determined. The results showed that ECPP possessed a strong ability to protect DNA from being damaged by hydroxyl radicals in both the site-specific system and the non-site-specific system. It also exhibited a cytoprotection effect in mouse lymphocytes against H2O2-induced DNA damage. These protective effects may be related to its high total phenolic content (17.65 ± 0.97 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (8.04 ± 0.97 mg rutin/g), strong free radical scavenging activity and considerable ferrous ion chelating ability (14.48 ± 0.21 mg Na2EDTA/g).