Extracts from the Mediterranean Food Plants Carthamus lanatus, Cichorium intybus, and Cichorium spinosum Enhanced GSH Levels and Increased Nrf2 Expression in Human Endothelial Cells

Figure 2

Protective activity of extracts from (a) Crepis sancta, (b) Cichorium intybus, (c) Carthamus lanatus, (d) Amaranthus blitum, (e) Cichorium spinosum, and (f) Sonchus asper plants against ROO^• radicals: 1: pBluescript-SK+ plasmid DNA without any treatment; 2: plasmid DNA exposed to ROO^• radicals alone; 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7: plasmid DNA exposed to ROO^• radicals in the presence of extract concentrations: 0.015, 0.030, 0.060, 0.120, and 0.240 mg/mL, respectively (a–c) and 0.030, 0.060, 0.120, 0.240, and 0.480 mg/ml, respectively (e) and 0.120, 0.240, 0.480, 0.960, and 1.920 mg/ml, respectively (d, f); 8: plasmid DNA exposed to the maximum tested concentration of each extract alone. OC: open circular; SC: supercoiled.