Abstract
Polysaccharides from the pulps (CAP) and seeds (CAS) of Crataegus azarolus L. var. aronia were extracted by hot water method. Both polysaccharides were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Congo red test, FT-IR spectroscopy, and their antioxidant, α-amylase, antiacetylcholinesterase, and antibacterial activities were evaluated. CAP showed the highest total carbohydrate (82.35%) and uronic acid (29.39%) contents. The Congo red test revealed the lack of triple-helical conformation for both polysaccharides. The comparison of both infrared spectra indicated similar patterns with the presence of typical bands of polysaccharides. However, the microstructure of both samples indicated differences when analyzed by SEM. CAP displayed higher antioxidant, α-amylase, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. Besides, CAP showed the strongest antimicrobial effects against seven microorganisms and, notably, the Gram-positive bacteria. Overall, the results suggest that polysaccharides from C. azarolus L. var. aronia may be considered as novel sources of antioxidants and recommended as enzyme inhibitory agents in food and pharmaceutical industries.
Highlights
Polysaccharides are biomacromolecules widely distributed in algae, plants, animals, and microorganisms
Fruits, leaves, and flowers have long been used as a traditional medicine to cure various diseases such as asthma, insomnia, flu, coughs, and bronchitis, and headache, respiratory, and cardiovascular problems [6, 7]
Fresh fruits of Crataegus azarolus L. var. aronia were collected from Gafsa (Northwestern Tunisia, 36° 46′ 34′′ N latitude and 8° 41′ 05′′ E longitude) between October and November 2018
Summary
Polysaccharides are biomacromolecules widely distributed in algae, plants, animals, and microorganisms. Plant polysaccharides have proved to be potential sources of natural antibacterial, antioxidants, immunomodulatory, antitumor, hepato-cardioprotective, and neuroprotective compounds [1,2,3]. They have been increasingly applied because they are sourced naturally, and they impart less toxicity, biodegradability, and fewer side effects than synthetic ones. The genus Crataegus spp., which belongs to the Rosaceae, is largely distributed in Africa, North Europe, and North America [5]. This genus is commonly known as hawthorn in English and Zaarour in Arabic. Numerous biochemical studies have demonstrated that hawthorn is a valuable source of bioactive components (e.g., minerals, sugar alcohols, phenolic acids, essential oil, organic acids, tannins, vitamin, flavonoids, and polysaccharides) [8, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
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