THE ANTIOXIDATIVE EFFECT OF CITRULLUS COLOCYNTHIS ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANT OZONE

Airborne environmental pollutants play important role in the biological parameters of animals, plants, mushrooms and microorganisms. Uncontrolled ozone gas directly affects non-target organisms. In this study, crude extract of Citrullus colocynthis L. fruits was evaluated for antioxidant activities against ozone, Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) was used as a model organism. Insect larvae were grown up in the laboratory. Given ozone (0.2-1 ppm) for two hours adults were fed with different concentrations of this plant fruit. Lipid peroxidation product such as Malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes, Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST) levels were determined in male and female. The effect of C. colocynthis on antioxidant defense system of D. melanogaster were investigated. This study has shed light on whether or not herbal treatments are sufficient, in order to remove free radicals from the organism caused by environmental pollutants.