Abstract
BackgroundFood preservation is basically done to preserve the natural characteristics and appearance of the food and to increase the shelf life of food. Food preservatives in use are natural, chemical and artificial. Keeping in mind the adverse effects of synthetic food preservatives, there is a need to identify natural food preservatives. The aims of this study were to evaluate in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Dragon's blood resin obtained from Dracaena cinnabari Balf f., with a view to develop safer food preservatives.MethodsIn this study, three solvents of varying polarity were used to extract and separate the medium and high polarity compounds from the non-polar compounds of the Dragon's blood resin. The extracts were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against the food borne pathogens. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were assessed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging, FRAP, metal chelating and reducing power assays. Total phenolics, flavonoids and flavonols of extracts were also estimated using the standard methods.ResultsPhytochemical analysis of extracts revealed high phenolic content in CH2Cl2 extract of resin. Free radical scavenging of CH2Cl2 extract was found to be highest which is in good correlation with its total phenolic content. All test microorganisms were also inhibited by CH2Cl2 extract.ConclusionsOur result provide evidence that CH2Cl2 extract is a potential source of natural antioxidant compounds and exhibited good inhibitory activity against various food borne pathogens. Thus, CH2Cl2 extract of Dragon's blood resin could be considered as possible source of food preservative.
Highlights
Food preservation is basically done to preserve the natural characteristics and appearance of the food and to increase the shelf life of food
Phytochemical screening In this study, solvents of varying polarity were used to extract and separate the medium and high polarity compounds from the non-polar compounds of the resin
Antioxidant activity The antioxidant effects of plant products must be evaluated by combining two or more different in vitro assays to get relevant data, because of the complex nature of phytochemicals. Each of these tests is based on one feature of the antioxidant activity, such as the ability to scavenge free radicals, or the metal ion chelation
Summary
Food preservation is basically done to preserve the natural characteristics and appearance of the food and to increase the shelf life of food. The aims of this study were to evaluate in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Dragon’s blood resin obtained from Dracaena cinnabari Balf f., with a view to develop safer food preservatives. There are many pathogenic organisms known to spoil refrigerated and ready to eat food products, often leading to food poisoning Besides this all refrigerated and packed foods undergo autooxidation during storage leading to formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Dragon’s Blood resin in unani medicine is commonly known as Dammul-akhwain It has wide medicinal uses: haemostatic, antidiarrhetic, antiulcer, antimicrobial, antiviral, wound healing, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant [6,7]. Being rich in phenolic compounds this resin holds possible use as food preservative, which has not been studied yet This is the first ever report evaluating potential of dragon’s blood resin as food preservative. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity of this resin to support its candidature as food preservative
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