Therapeutic Potential of Common Culinary Herbs and Spices of Mauritius

Abstract

Compounds with combined anti-glycation and antioxidant properties may offer therapeutic potential for diabetic and oxidative stress related pathologies. We previously demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) anti-glycation properties of culinary herbs and spices by an optimized in vitro glucose-bovine serum albumin assay. In the present investigation we describe the antioxidant potential of these plants and the therapeutic potential of dietary compounds as possible anti-glycation and antioxidant agents. This study was geared to appraise the total antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of ten common culinary herbs and spices (Allium sativum, Zingiber officinale, Thymus vulgaris, Petroselinum crispum, Murraya koenigii Spreng, Mentha piperita L., Curcuma longa L., Allium cepa L., Allium fistulosum and Coriandrum sativum L.) commercially available on the Mauritian market. The total antioxidant capacity as measured by the phosphomolybdenum method ranged from 0.76 to 2.49 μg AAE/ml. It was observed that the ethanolic extracts exhibited significant (p < 0.05) free radical-scavenging potential as measured by the 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation assay, ferrous ion chelating assay and the Griess assay. The observed anti-glycation and antioxidant activity of the extracts together with their previously reported total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents support the therapeutic value of the plants investigated. Dietary agents interfering in the glycation pathway might offer new lead compounds geared towards glucose-derived and oxidative stress related complications. Our findings showed that the herbs and spices studied possess significant antioxidant and anti-glycation properties and hence can be exploited as functional foods.