Effects of Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium L.) on Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE-2) and Antioxidant Parameters in Rabbits

Many studies have been conducted on medicinal aromatic plants in recent years. Alternative medicine particularly comes to the fore as an alternative to the use of synthetic agents. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral effects of phenolic compounds, especially in the structure of aromatic plants, are known. Among those well-known aromatic plants, Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium L.) is known to contain a large amount of phenolic compounds. In our study, by taking these effects of phenolic compounds into consideration, the effectiveness of pennyroyal on antioxidant parameters and Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) which is the receptor that Covid-19 binds, and that has many important functions in the organism, was evaluated. A total of 15 New Zealand rabbits were used in the study. The animals were divided into three experimental groups with 5 rabbits in each group. While no Pennyroyal was added to the control group, 0.1% and 0.2% were added to the diets for the other groups. All groups were fed ad-libitum. On the 14th day of the experiment, serum ACE2, GSH and MDA levels were determined with blood taken from the ears of the rabbits. According to the analysis results, while a decrease in ACE2 and MDA levels was determined in the groups which were given 0.1% and 0.2% Pennyroyal compared to the control group, a significant increase was observed in the GSH level. As a result, determining the antioxidant effect of Pennyroyal as well as the effect of decreasing the serum ACE2 level revealed the need for more research to fully explain the effectiveness of aromatic plants in combating Covid-19.