Induction of Nrf2 activity by Daucus carota subsp. maximus: bioassay-guided isolation of chrysoeriol, luteolin 7-O-glucoside and eugenin as active compounds

Alsheikh, W, Nahar, L ORCID: 0000-0002-1157-2405, Ritchie, KJ ORCID: 0000-0002-8504-6918 and Sarker, SD ORCID: 0000-0003-4038-0514 (2026) Induction of Nrf2 activity by Daucus carota subsp. maximus: bioassay-guided isolation of chrysoeriol, luteolin 7-O-glucoside and eugenin as active compounds. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 78 (10). ISSN 0022-3573

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Abstract

Objectives
To investigate the Nrf2 activity-inducing property of Daucus carota subsp. maximus and to isolate the bioactive compounds responsible for this.

Methods
The cell viability (MTT) assay was performed using the AREc32 cell line to determine non-cytotoxic concentrations of the test samples. Subsequently, a luciferase reporter gene assay was conducted with these non-toxic concentrations in AREc32 cells to evaluate the induction of the cellular antioxidant defence system through activation of the Nrf2 transcription factor. Bioactive compounds were then isolated from the active fractions by HPLC, and their structures elucidated using spectroscopic techniques.

Key findings
The active methanolic extract was subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation, yielding five compounds: apigenin (1), chrysoeriol (2), luteolin (3), luteolin 7-O-glucoside (4), and eugenin (5). Among these, compounds 24, and 5 exhibited more than a two-fold induction of Nrf2 activity, indicating their potential as cancer chemopreventive agents. Notably, eugenin (5) demonstrated the highest potency, inducing Nrf2 activity by 8.1-fold.

Conclusions
The high level of Nrf2 induction and simple chemical structure suggested that eugenin (5) could be a suitable candidate for generating synthetic analogues to develop new cancer chemopreventive agents.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; 1116 Medical Physiology; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; 3214 Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Subjects:	R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology R Medicine > RS Pharmacy and materia medica
Divisions:	Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Publisher:	Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date of acceptance:	20 September 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	19 October 2026
Date Deposited:	19 Oct 2026 09:26
Last Modified:	19 Oct 2026 09:26
DOI or ID number:	10.1093/jpp/rgag121
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29695

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