Abstract
Plant-based preparations are commonly used in Suriname (South America) as adaptogens. In this study, fifteen alleged adaptogenic Surinamese plants have been assessed for their antioxidant activity (AA), total phenolic contents (TPC), and total flavonoid contents (TFC). The investigated plants were Anacardium occidentale, Spondiasdulcis, Annona muricata, Euterpe oleracea, Oenocarpus bacaba, Luffa acutangula, Punicagranatum, Malpighia emarginata, Syzygiumaqueum, Syzygiumcumini, Averrhoa carambola, and Renealmiaalpinia (fruit); Hibiscus sabdariffa (calyx); as well as Aloe vera and Cestrum latifolium (leaf). Aqueous extracts (1 - 3,000 μg/ mL) were prepared. AA was determined by the FRAP and the DPPH assay. TPC and TFC were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu’s and an AlCl3 colorimetric method, respectively, using gallic acid (GA) and rutin (R), respectively, as standards. Data are means ± SDs (n ≥ 3; P < 0.05). FRAP values and DPPH-scavenging activities correlated positively with each other and with TPC but not with TFC. The preparations from M. emarginata, A. carambola, A. occidentale, O. bacaba, C. latifolium, and H. sabdariffa displayed the highest FRAP values (54 ± 14 to 412 ± 30 µM Fe2+/100 μg), DPPH-scavenging activities (IC50 values of 33 ± 14 to 250 ± 50 μg/mL), and TPC (51 ± 4 to 280 ± 78 µM GAE/100 µg). TFC of all samples were ≤ 10 ± 3 RE/100 µg. The adaptogenic properties of these plants may (partially) be attributed to their high content of antioxidant phenolic compounds and may make them candidates of novel sources of health-promoting antioxidants.
Highlights
The dependence of humans on oxygen for their metabolism leads to the continuous formation of reactive oxygen-derived species (ROS) in the body as by-products of reactions involving oxygen [1]
Fifteen plant extracts that are used in Suriname as adaptogens have been assessed for their antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content
ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) values of the preparations correlated well with their total phenolic contents, those with higher activity having a relatively high phenolic content and those with low activity a relatively low phenolic content (p value < 0.001). Such a good correlation was not found between DPPH free radical-scavenging activities and total phenolic contents, but there was still a significant positive relationship (p value < 0.001) between both parameters
Summary
The dependence of humans on oxygen for their metabolism leads to the continuous formation of reactive oxygen-derived species (ROS) in the body as by-products of reactions involving oxygen [1]. ROS can be generated from either endogenous or exogenous sources. Exogenous sources of ROS are hazardous environmental chemicals which, as shown for the alkylating antineoplastic agent cyclophosphamide, produce free radicals during their metabolic conversion (see, for instance [3]). Examples of ROS are superoxide radical anion, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyl radicals, and hydroxyl [1]. These species play important roles in key physiological functions such as cell signaling and homeostasis [6, 7]. Oxidative stress can lead to lipid peroxidation, cell and tissues toxicity, and several types of genetic damage that eventually could cause genotoxicity, mutagenicity, secondary cancers, and even cell death (see, for instance [11]). The resulting homeostatic disruption of multiple metabolic processes may eventually result in the development of neoplastic, cardiovascular, diabetic, neurodegenerative, age-related, and inflammatory ailments [10, 12]
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