Cellular protective effects of dehydroeffusol isolated from Juncus effusus L. and the mechanisms underlying these effects

The purpose of this study was to identify the substance responsible for significant cellular protective effect of the extract from Juncus effusus L. on the photohemolysis of erythrocyte and to investigate the mechanism underlying this effect. The single substance was identified as “dehydroeffusol”. To investigate the mechanism, cellular protective effect, singlet oxygen quenching rate constant, free radical and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity and erythrocyte membrane penetration efficiency were tested. The results showed that ROS incidentally produced in the Type II reaction is the main reason for photohemolysis and that erythrocyte membrane penetration ability is crucial to cell protection.