Source Of Antioxidants Research Articles

Use of different protein and antioxidant sources in couscous production to improve chemical and functional properties.

In this study, it was aimed to improve couscous chemical and functional properties by replacing wheat flour used in traditional couscous production with pea and mung bean flours as different protein sources at the rate of 20% and with ginger and turmeric powders as antioxidant sources at the rate of 1%, 2%, and 3%. Sixteen different couscous formulations were produced. In those couscous samples, some chemical contents (moisture, ash, protein, fat, and phytic acid), bioactive contents (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay and ion reducing antioxidant capacity antioxidant activities and total phenolic content), color (L*, a*, and b*), firmness and cooking properties were determined. The use of pea and mung bean flour decreased the L* value of the samples, while turmeric increased the yellowness values. In addition, the weight increase and firmness values of couscous decreased with the use of leguminous flours and antioxidant sources. The use of peas and mung beans significantly increased the amount of ash, protein, and phytic acid values compared to the control. The antioxidant activity value of ion-reducing antioxidant activity capacity increased by 7 and 5 times, and the total phenolic contents increased approximately 2 times, respectively, in the samples with the substitution of 3% turmeric and pea and mung bean flour. Pea flour and mung bean flour provided a significant increase in the amounts of Ca, Mg, K, and Zn. The combination of pea flour with 3% turmeric powder resulted in couscous with superior nutritional and functional properties.

Agave Leaves as an Alternative Source of Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Metabolites Through α-glucosidase Enzyme Inhibition

Agave Leaves as an Alternative Source of Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Metabolites Through α-glucosidase Enzyme Inhibition

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, TOTAL PHENOLIC AND TOTAL FLAVONOID CONTENTS OF WHOLE PLANT EXTRACTS TORILIS LEPTOPHYLLA L

The study investigates the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of whole plant extracts of Torilis leptophylla L., a medicinal plant with potential therapeutic benefits. Extracts were prepared using various solvents to maximize the extraction of bioactive compounds. The antioxidant activity was assessed using standard assays such as DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP. The TPC and TFC were quantified using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. Results demonstrated significant antioxidant activity across all extracts, with ethanol extracts exhibiting the highest potency. The TPC and TFC analyses revealed a strong correlation between phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant capacity. These findings highlight Torilis leptophylla L. as a promising source of natural antioxidants, supporting its potential use in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Further studies are recommended to isolate and characterize individual phenolic and flavonoid compounds responsible for the observed activities. This research explores the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of whole plant extracts from Torilis leptophylla L., an underutilized medicinal plant known for its health benefits. The study involved the extraction of bioactive compounds using solvents such as ethanol, methanol, and aqueous solutions to determine the most effective extraction method. Antioxidant activities were evaluated through multiple assays, including DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), and FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power). The TPC and TFC were measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and aluminum chloride colorimetric method, respectively. The results revealed that ethanol extracts displayed the highest antioxidant activity, with significant free radical scavenging abilities and reducing power. The TPC and TFC analyses indicated a robust correlation between phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant capacity, suggesting that these compounds are major contributors to the plant's antioxidant properties. Specifically, the ethanol extract showed the highest phenolic and flavonoid concentrations, correlating with its superior antioxidant performance. These findings position Torilis leptophylla L. as a potent source of natural antioxidants, underscoring its potential for development into pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products.

Optimizing Fruit Production: A Review of Sensor-based Approaches in Orchard Management

Fruit crops produce higher yields per hectare than other horticultural crops. Fruits are also a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is necessary to monitor and maintain the orchard properly to increase both production and quality of fruits. However, maintaining large orchards is quite difficult. The application of different sensors in fruit crops helps in precise orchard management and, therefore, helps in sustainable production in the long run. Remote sensing tools are useful in gathering data on factors necessary and act as a constraint for increasing the yield potential of fruit crops. An increase in the cost incurred in maintaining the orchards resulted in a low benefit cost ratio in the production of fruits. The application of sensors for the continuous monitoring of orchard facilitates in increased water use efficiency and precise orchard management strategies. This article reviews the use of sensors in various aspects related to fruits crops management.

Traditionally Used Edible Flowers as a Source of Neuroactive, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Extracts and Bioactive Compounds: A Narrative Review

Edible flowers are becoming a popular addition to diets. As science has progressed, it has been proven that in addition to their aesthetic value, they possess pharmacological effects and health-promoting properties. Several edible flowers are used in medicine, and the available literature data indicate their broad biological activity. This review focuses on pharmacological knowledge about the neuroactive, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory potential of 15 traditionally used edible flowers. It also describes their traditionally uses and summarizes research findings on their chemical composition.

Hydrogen Peroxide Scavenging by Methanolic Extracts of Coriander: An In Vitro Antioxidant Study

Most of the nutraceutical plants, plants associated products and foods are known for their promising antioxidant properties due to the presence of several metabolites like polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids, terpenoids, vitamin C and many other. These molecules have strong tendency to scavenge the free radicals (reactive oxygen species) generated inside our body system due to the various reasons. Out of several methods for the antioxidant activity determination; hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity is an important method. This method has been used to determine the percentage scavenging activity of coriander seeds methanolic extract and coriander leaves methanolic extract for four different concentrations i.e. 100, 200, 300, and 400 μg/mL. Coriander seeds methanolic extracts showed the good level of percentage hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities in the range of 33.67-60.2% while scavenging activities for methanolic extract of coriander leaves were in the range of 47.95-70.61%. Range of scavenging activity for standard ascorbic acid was 65.12-81.35%. Although, extracts showed lower scavenging activity than standard ascorbic acid but result was promising indicating the good antioxidant activities of these extracts. Study demonstrates that methanolic extract of coriander leaves showed higher antioxidant activity (H2O2 scavenging activity) than coriander seeds and thus, coriander leaves are better antioxidant plant source.

Exploring Myrsine umbellata: a comprehensive analysis of phytochemicals, antioxidant potential, antityrosinase effect, and cytotoxic activities across distinct plant parts

ABSTRACT Myrsine umbellata, a native Brazilian tree, was investigated for its chemical composition and bioactivity. A total of 44 compounds were identified, including resorcinol derivatives, sesquiterpenes, and embelin. The ethyl acetate leaf fraction exhibited the highest phenolic and flavonoid content, with superior antioxidant activity (IC50 = 8.87–17.33 µg mL-¹) compared to Ginkgo biloba. Specific fractions (MSA, MSH, MSC) showed selective cytotoxicity against melanoma cells (IC50 = 9.51–24.95 µg mL-¹), sparing normal cells. Quercitrin and embelin exhibited low toxicity. These findings suggest M. umbellata as a promising source of natural antioxidants, antimelanogenic agents, and potential chemotherapeutics for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications.

Effects of Various Physical Field–Assisted Techniques and Combination Methods on Extraction of Flavonoids and Polyphenols From Angelica keiskei

ABSTRACTAngelica keiskei has been well documented as a promising resource rich in bioactive chemicals, especially flavonoids. Field‐assisted extraction and their hybrids have been proved to be advanced approaches for the efficient utilization of flavonoids compared to conventional extraction methods. The current study aims to optimize the extraction conditions of the flavonoids from A. keiskei through high‐pressure processing, ultrasound‐assisted extraction, and microwave‐assisted extraction. Furthermore, taking total flavonoid content, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity as indexes, three combination methods, high‐pressure processing combined with ultrasound‐assisted extraction, high‐pressure processing combined with microwave‐assisted extraction, and ultrasound‐assisted extraction combined with microwave‐assisted extraction, were further investigated and compared to enhance the extraction efficiency. The results indicate that the A. keiskei extracts obtained by ultrasound‐assisted extraction combined with microwave‐assisted extraction have the optimal total flavonoid content (41.671 mg/g) and total phenolic content (12.071 mg/g), as well as the strongest antioxidant activity. Scanning electron microscopy analyses reflect that the ultrasound‐assisted extraction combined with microwave‐assisted extraction treatment imposed the most pronounced damage to A. keiskei, in which the particles were changed into the smaller size. In vitro experiments for A. keiskei extracts demonstrate that it can effectively inhibit α‐amylase and tyrosinase, suggesting its potential hypoglycemic and whitening activity. This study demonstrates that A. keiskei extracts may serve as a possible source of antioxidants, whereas ultrasound‐assisted extraction combined with microwave‐assisted extraction might represent an innovative and advantageous method for flavonoid extraction from A. keiskei.

Development of Triple Component Aqueous Blend Derived from <i>Stevia rebaudiana, Musa acuminata</i> and <i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>

Background: Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves give similar satiety as that of sucrose. These have the additional benefit of diminished calorie intake and cause a reduction in body weight. Bananas have vital nutrients and high potassium content. Tomato is a rich source of water-soluble antioxidants. Aim: Stevia leaves, banana fruits and tomato fruits are processed in search of an extract equipped with antioxidant activity mainly due to water-soluble constituents. Methods: Ripe and unripe fruit extracts were mixed in various ratios and screened for DPPH inhibition. The dual component fruit extracts possessing the highest free radical scavenging (banana extract consisting of ripe banana extract: unripe banana extract in a ratio of 2:1 while tomato extract consisted of ripe tomato extract: unripe tomato extract in a ratio of 1:2) were further intermingled with stevia extract. Results: The triple component extract consisting of stevia extract: tomato extract: and banana extract in a ratio of 7:3:3 exhibited the highest total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and superior DPPH inhibition activity. The composition of the aqueous extract was stevia leaves: ripe banana fruit: unripe banana fruit: ripe tomato fruit: unripe tomato fruit in the ratios of 7: 2: 1: 1: 2. Conclusion: The mingling of aqueous extracts of stevia, ripe/unripe banana and ripe/unripe tomato may be a suitable strategy in free radical-mediated disorders such as diabetes. This paves the path for further phytochemical and pharmacological screening for stevia leaves, banana fruits and tomato fruits-based prophylactic/therapeutic options. Major Findings: The intermingling of the water-soluble secondary metabolites from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves, Musa acuminata Colla. fruits and Solanum lycopersicum L. fruits result in enhanced antioxidant activity.

Optimising Palm Olein-Based Betamethasone 17-Valerate Emulsions for Scalable Manufacturing and Stability

Introduction: Palm olein has been used as an excipient in the formulation of topical emulsions due to its rich source of natural antioxidants that can lead to better skin health and higher stability upon storage. Despite its potential as a topical drug delivery vehicle, the practical implementation of manufacturing 20% (w/w) palm olein-in-water emulsions for commercial purposes has not been explored extensively, and obtaining experimental data on scale-up studies would be helpful in facilitating this realisation. Methods: This research work established and optimised the manufacturing process parameters for the production of cream and lotion formulations containing betamethasone 17-valerate, utilising palm olein as the vehicle, with scale-up from lab-scale 5 kg batches to pilot-scale 80 kg batches. Design of experiments (DoE) where response surface methodology as well as three-level, two-factors (32) full factorial design were used to develop statistical models for representing the possible relationships between factors: homogenisation time and speed, and responses: particle size and phase separation. Results: The findings established that the quadratic model was the most suitable model as it could predict the interactions between factors and responses in an accurate manner as well as suggest the optimum operating conditions. The optimum homogenisation time and speed were found to be 40 minutes and 3400 rpm, respectively. These conditions produced emulsions with the smallest particle size (3.2 µm ± 0.03) and the least phase separation value (29.7% ± 0.35). Conclusion: The study successfully demonstrated the potential to scale up the manufacturing of 20% (w/w) palm olein-in-water emulsions for commercial purposes. The optimised parameters, obtained through DoE, facilitate the large-scale production of stable emulsions containing betamethasone 17-valerate.

Antioxidant Intake and Ovarian Reserve in Women Attending a Fertility Center

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between antioxidant intake and antral follicle count (AFC), a marker of ovarian reserve, in women attending a fertility clinic. Methods: We conducted an observational study with 567 women undergoing infertility evaluation at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center, who were enrolled in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) study. Participants filled out the lifestyle and health questionnaires and a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for assessing habitual dietary intake and underwent a transvaginal ultrasound to measure AFC. Intake of nutrients with direct antioxidant capacity (vitamin A, C, and E and carotenoids) and intake of antioxidant food sources were estimated from the FFQ. Adjusted Poisson regression models were fitted to assess the relationships between antioxidants and AFC while adjusting for potential confounders. Non-linearity was assessed with restricted cubic splines. Results: The median (interquartile range) age and AFC of participants were 35.0 (32.0–38.0) years and 13 (9–18), respectively. Our findings revealed a non-linear association between lycopene intake and AFC. There was a positive linear association with the highest AFC among women consuming approximately 6000 mcg/day of lycopene (P for non-linearity = 0.003). An inverse association was observed between retinol intake, predominantly from dairy foods, and AFC among women aged under 35 years (P-trend < 0.001 and 0.01, respectively). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that lycopene intake might influence the ovarian reserve in fertility patients. The observed inverse association with retinol, if confirmed, may reflect biological mechanisms different from oxidative stress. The underlying mechanisms of these associations remain to be elucidated and warrant further investigation.

Antioxidant, Antithrombotic and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Amphiphilic Bioactives from Water Kefir Grains and Its Apple Pomace-Based Fermented Beverage

Kefir-based fermentation products exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects against oxidative stress, inflammation, platelet activation and aggregation, and other related manifestations, thereby preventing the onset and development of several chronic diseases. Specifically, water kefir, a symbiotic culture of various microorganisms used for the production of several bio-functional fermented products, has been proposed for its health-promoting properties. Thus, water kefir grains and its apple pomace-based fermentation beverage were studied for bioactive amphiphilic and lipophilic lipid compounds with antioxidant, antithrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Total lipids(TL) were extracted and further separated into their total amphiphilic (TAC) and total lipophilic content (TLC), in which the total phenolic and carotenoid contents (TPC and TCC, respectively) and the fatty acid content of the polar lipids (PL) were quantified, while the antioxidant activity of both TAC and TLC were assessed in vitro, by the ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP bioassays, along with the anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic activity of TAC against human platelet aggregation induced by the thrombo-inflammatory mediator, platelet-activating factor (PAF) or standard platelet agonists like ADP.ATR-FTIR spectra facilitated the detection of specific structural, functional groups of phenolic, flavonoid, and carotenoid antioxidants, while LC−MS analysis revealed the presence of specific anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic PL bioactives bearing unsaturated fatty acids in their structures, with favorable omega-6 (n−6)/omega-3 (n−3)polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which further support the findings that the most potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic bioactivities were observed in the TAC extracts, in both water kefir grains and beverage cases. The detection of such bioactive components in both the uncultured water kefir grains and in the cultured beverage further supports the contribution of water kefir microorganisms to the bioactivity and the bio-functionality of the final fermented product. Nevertheless, the extracts of the beverage showed much stronger antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic activities, which further suggests that during the culture process for producing this beverage, not only was the presence of bioactive compounds produced by kefir microflora present, but biochemical alterations during fermentation of bioactive components derived from apple pomace also seemed to have taken place, contributing to the higher bio-functionality observed in the apple pomace—water kefir-based beverage, even when compared to the unfermented apple pomace. The overall findings support further studies on the use of water kefir and/or apple pomace as viable sources of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic amphiphilic bioactive compounds for the production of novel health-promoting bio-functional fermented products.

Lipidomics-based association study reveals genomic signatures of anti-cancer qualities of pigmented rice sprouts

IntroductionThe genetic wealth present in pigmented rice varieties offer abundant variation in different sources of antioxidants to meet nutritional security targets among rice-consuming communities. There is limited knowledge of the dynamic changes in the lipidome of rice during germination and the corresponding genes associated with the antioxidant and anti-cancerous properties of lipophilic fractions of pigmented rice sprouts (PRS).MethodsIn this study, we profiled the lipidome of diverse pigmented rice collections of germinated sprouts. Further, we employed Genome-wide association studies (GWAS), gene-set analysis, and targeted association analysis to identify the candidate genes linked to these lipids.ResultsThe genetic analyses revealed 72 candidate genes involved in the regulation of these accumulating lipids in PRS. Marker trait associations (MTA) analysis shown that the combination GGTAAC/ACAAGCTGGGCCC was associated with increased levels of unsaturated lipids and carotenoids, which likely underlie these beneficial effects. This superior MTA combination exhibited potent inhibitory activity against HCT116 and A549 cell lines, with average 1/IC50 values of 0.03 and 0.02 (mL/μg), respectively, compared to the inferior MTAs.DiscussionCollectively, our findings demonstrate that MTAs linked to selected GDSL esterase/lipase (GELP) genes, OsACP1, and lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase significantly enhance antioxidant and anti-cancer properties, potentially through the mobilization of unsaturated lipids and carotenoids during germination. This study offers valuable insights into the health-promoting potential of germinated rice sprouts as a rich dietary source of antioxidants beneficial to human health.

Genotypic features of the relationship between the components of the antioxidant complex of high blueberry fruits and the content of organic compounds during introduction in Belarus

The article presents the results of a comparative study in the southern agroclimatic zone of Belarus in the taxonomic series of 6 new introduced varieties of highbush blueberry: early ripening – Chanticleer, Hannah’s Choice, midseason – Bluegold, Harrison, and late ripening – Aurora, Rubel, as well as the corresponding to these maturity groups zoned varieties Weymouth, Bluecrop and Elliott structures of correlation links between the levels of antioxidant and enzymatic activity, on the one hand, and 12 indicators of biochemical composition, on the other.Significant genotypic differences in the orientation and strength of these links were revealed due to the individual characteristics of the biochemical composition of the tested objects, indicating a pronounced variety specificity of the analyzed traits.A noticeable similarity was revealed in the representatives of different varietal groups in the spectra of organic compounds most significant for formation of the antioxidant complex of fruits, which was most clearly manifested in early and late ripening varieties and consisted of the dominant role of catechins, tannins, leucoanthocyanins and flavonols, and in midripening varieties – along with tannins and leucoanthocyanins, also free organic and hydroxycinnamic acids.At the same time, soluble sugars and ascorbic acid had the least effect on the antiradical properties of blueberry fruits. A uniform sequence of blueberry taxa was established in the order of decreasing the interaction level of individual components of the antioxidant complex of fruits with the content of organic compounds of different chemical nature with the greatest manifestation of the strongest direct correlation links with sources of antioxidant, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase activity in the Hannah’s Choice variety, and in the Aurora variety – with sources of catalase and, to a lesser extent, the peroxidase activity against the background of a minimum number of such interactions in the Harrison variety, which was 1.6–2.1 times inferior in this feature to the leading blueberry taxa.

Phytochemical screening and in vitro evaluation of antioxidant and antibacterial activity of aqueous and organic extracts of the Moroccan endemic medicinal plant Zygophyllum gaetulum

ABSTRACT Zygophyllum gaetulum (Z. gaetulum), also known as Al Aggaya, is an endemic plant widespread in the Moroccan Sahara. This study aims to valorise Z. gaetulum from both phytochemical and pharmacological standpoints by extracting and quantifying total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), assessing antioxidant activity through a series of in vitro tests, and evaluating antibacterial activity against four multidrug-resistant bacteria. The relationships between phytochemical content and antioxidant activity were also examined. The methanolic extract showed the highest levels of phenolic and flavonoid contents and the greatest antioxidant activity in both the DPPH and FRAP assays. But, no significant correlation was observed between TPC and the antioxidant activity assays. The antibacterial screening demonstrated that the 50% methanolic extract showed the largest inhibition zone against Escherichia coli. This study provides novel data and evidence that extracts from this plant are a promising source of natural antioxidants.

Effects of Drying and Storage on Anthocyanin Content and Antioxidant Activity in Hibiscus Tea Infusions

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is one of the traditional flowers used in tropics for ornamental gardens and for its curative health benefits. All parts of hibiscus are reported to possess significant medicinal values and the flowers especially are rich source of anthocyanin pigments. Anthocyanins serve as natural food colourants and also contribute to health benefits as a rich source of antioxidants. The major anthocyanin present in the red flowers of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is cyanidin-3-sophoroside (Lowry, 1976). Investigations were carried out to explore the drying method of petals, antioxidant potential and nutritional benefits of hibiscus floral tea and squash from the cv. Red single of hibiscus. The hibiscus petals were subjected to drying by three different methods such as shade, sun and oven. It was observed that highest recovery of dried petals (19.66 %) and anthocyanin content (59.05 mg/l) was attained by shade drying of petals. The dried flower petals were quantified for cyanidin-3-glucoside using HPLC. In another experiment, tea infusions prepared from Green tea, Hibiscus tea and their combination proved significance and highest anthocyanin content was registered in freshly prepared Hibiscus tea (72.13 c3g eq.mg/l). However, highest ABTS (249.19 μg/ml), DPPH radical scavenging activity (733.22 μg/ml) in terms of IC50 values, highest total phenol content (82.57 mg GAE/g) and high organoleptic scoring were recorded in freshly prepared Green tea + Hibiscus tea [1:1]. The tea samples were tested for their qualities by storing upto 90 days. The above investigation proved the potential uses and anti-oxidant benefits of hibiscus petals in the preparation of hibiscus tea infusions.

Microalgae as Potential Antioxidants: Assessment of Antioxidant Capacities in Microalgae from Selected Regions of Peninsular Malaysia

Antioxidants play critical roles in cellular defence mechanisms in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic forms within the intracellular and extracellular environments. While microalgae are recognised as a rich source of antioxidants, limited information is available on species native to Peninsular Malaysia that contain high antioxidant capacity for future applications. This study aimed to assess the antioxidant capacity of both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in microalgae, particularly those cultivated locally in Malaysia, which are still scarce. Nineteen microalgae species collected from Kedah, Pahang, Terengganu and Johor were used in this study. Algal samples were cultured and harvested during the early stationary phase and then subjected to antioxidant assays. Enzymatic antioxidants were assessed using catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) assays. Non-enzymatic antioxidants were evaluated through the quantification of ascorbate, α-tocopherol, and carotenoids. The findings reveal significant interspecies variation of microalgae in the types and quantities of antioxidants. Notably, Neochloris conjuncta and Mychonastes ovahimbae exhibited the highest levels of enzymatic antioxidants (p<0.05) and SOD. Hematoccous sp. had the highest concentration of ascorbic acid, while Chlorella vulgaris from Terengganu contained the most α-tocopherol, both with statistical significance (p<0.05). The data suggest that Chlorella vulgaris from Terengganu possesses considerable potential as a renewable source of antioxidants for diverse industrial applications, including food ingredients.

Investigation of Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity of Five Red Flower Extracts

The presence of bioactive compounds in plants with red flowers constitutes a valuable natural resource for the food, pharmaceutical, and medical industries. This paper aims to highlight these characteristics to facilitate the selection of extracts according to market needs. The analyzed parameters can provide valuable insights into the compositional variability of the five red flower plants, as new sources of bioactive compounds and natural antioxidants of plant origin. Five plants with red flowers (Magnolia liliiflora, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Petunia grandiflora, Rosa hybrida L.) were selected and investigated regarding their polyphenol concentration, total anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, and antimicrobial activity. Total polyphenols were found in concentrations ranging from 75.17 ± 0.16 mgGAE/g (C. morifolium) to 107.49 ± 0.19 mgGAE/g (R. hybrida L.), and total anthocyanins between 14.99 ± 0.13 mg Cy-3-Glu/g and 21.66 ± 0.18 mg Cy-3-Glu/g. The antioxidant activity DPPH/IC50 mg/mL for the extract from R. hybrida L. flowers reached a value of 29.35 ± 0.17 mg/g, with ABTS and FRAP achieving maximum values of 49.89 ± 0.24 mmol TE/g and 48.68 ± 0.23 mmol TE/g, respectively. The antibacterial activity was particularly evident against strains commonly encountered in human pathology, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with reduced or no impact on strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Proteus mirabilis. The results demonstrated that the extracts from the selected, red-flowered plants contain valuable biologically active compounds in generous quantities, thus recommending their use in the food, pharmaceutical, and medical sectors.

Comparison of Antioxidant Activity of Stem Bark, Stem Wood, and Leaf Extracts of Bayur Plant (Pterospermum Subpeltatum C.B.Rob)

Antioxidants play a role in preventing and repairing damage to human cells. Searches for antioxidant sources continue to be carried out including in P. subpeltatum plants. This study aims to compare the antioxidant activity of the bark, wood, and leaves of P. subpeltatum C.B. Rob plants. The materials were dried and then shaved to a fineness level of 80 mesh. Materials were extracted using the maceration method with ethanol solvent. The macerate was filtered and the filtrate obtained was concentrated with an evaporator. The three extracts were tested for antioxidants using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) Free radical scavengers method, ascorbic acid was used as a comparison. Absorbances was measured using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Each material was made in 5 concentrations. The IC50 value was calculated using the Blois regression equation. The results of the antioxidant test were obtained consecutively: stem wood with an IC50 value = 3.39 μg/mL, stem bark = 5.15 μg/mL, and leaf = 258.58 μg/mL, the IC50 value of ascorbic acid was 2.79 μg/mL. Based on these data, it shows that the antioxidant activity of stem wood and stem bark is in the high category, although still lower than ascorbic acid, while the leaf are included in the weak category.

Phenolic Acid Profile and In Vitro Antioxidant and Anticholinesterase Activities of Romanian Wild-Grown Acer spp. (Sapindaceae)

This study investigated, for the first time, the phenolic acid profile along with the in vitro antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities of leaves and fruits from five Romanian wild-grown Acer spp. (Sapindaceae): A. campestre L., A. monspessulanum L., A. platanoides L., A. pseudoplatanus L., and A. tataricum L. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet and mass spectrometry (HPLC/UV/MS) was employed to identify and quantify key phenolic acids, including gallic, caffeic, protocatechuic, chlorogenic, and p-coumaric acids. Total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 61.48 ± 3.76 to 512.8 ± 20.54 µg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/mL. Antioxidant activities, assessed through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays, demonstrated the strongest radical scavenging capacities for A. tataricum fruits, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 10.88 ± 3.39 µg/mL and 10.39 ± 2.86 µg/mL, respectively. The ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay revealed the highest reducing power for A. tataricum fruits (1158 ± 48.98 µmol Fe2+/L) and leaves (1119 ± 164.6 µmol Fe2+/L). AChE inhibition was only found in A. tataricum, with an IC50 of 7.91 ± 7.50 mg/mL for leaves and 15.95 ± 8.52 mg/mL for fruits. These results highlight A. tataricum as a promising source of natural antioxidants and neuroprotective agents.