Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power Assay Research Articles

Effects of extraction time on total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities of a polyherbal drink

The effect of extraction time on the color, total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity of the polyherbal drink consisted of 10% turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), 20% Java tea (Orthosiphon aristatus (Blume) Miq.), and 70% seed-under-leaf (Phyllanthus niruri L.) crude drugs were evaluated in this study. The drinks were prepared by decoction at various extraction times. The drink color was read by LAB colorimetry. TPC and TFC were determined by the official methods in the Indonesian Herbal Pharmacopeia (IHP). The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the standard 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The color of the extracts obtained from different extraction times was statistically equal in L*, a*, and b* of color parameters. The TPC, TFC, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and FRAP of the extracts were considerably increased during the first 15 mins of extraction. The TPC value started to decrease after being extracted for 45 mins. The value of TFC, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and FRAP of the drinks remained unchanged until the final extraction time. Thus, the recommended extraction time of the polyherbal drink was 15 mins to preserve the phenolic compounds and flavonoids and obtain optimum antioxidant activity.

Antioxidant and Anti-tyrosinase Activities of Halymenia durvillei Water Extract Containing R-Phycoerythrin Before and After Microencapsulation

Halymenia durvillei water extract (HDWE) contains a dark-pink colored pigment of Rphycoerythrin (R-PE), which its stability is influenced by temperature and pH andpossesses biological activities. Microencapsulation could be the solution to preservingthe nature of R-PE. This study characterized the HDWE emulsion and analyzed the RPE content, antioxidants, and anti-tyrosinase activities before and after microencapsulation using sodium caseinate and maltodextrin (M-HDWE). Halymenia durvillei was extracted in distilled water (ratio 1:2, w/v) for 24 hours at 4 °C. Sodium caseinate to maltodextrin coating ratios were 1:2; 1:4; 1:6 and 1:12. Emulsion (viscosity, color, and R-PE content) and powder characteristics (surface morphology) were determined using Brookfield DV2T, ColorFlex EZ Hunterlab, UV-VIS spectrophotometry, and JeolSEM, respectively. The antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities were determined using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and mushroom tyrosinase assays. The Commision Internationale d’Éclairage (CIE) L* a* b* colorimetry result showed that the more maltodextrin and the lower viscosity, the more intense the emulsion color. Despite HDWE having roughly six-fold more R-PE content, all M-HDWE treatment samples exhibited equal R-PE contents (p 0.05). The M-HDWE 1:2; 1:4; 1:6; and 1:12 microcapsules had more wrinkled spheres and fewer cracks than MHDWE 0. The M-HDWE 1:2 had 33.10% lower antioxidant activity than the HDWE and was the highest compared to other M-HDWE compositions (17.15±1.27 µM/µg extract, p 0.05). Meanwhile, all M-HDWE had low anti-tyrosinase activity. It can be concluded that microencapsulation could be a solution for preserving HDWE’s antioxidant activity but not its anti-tyrosinase activity

Antioxidant and Anti-tyrosinase Activities of Halymenia durvillei Water Extract Containing R-Phycoerythrin Before and After Microencapsulation

Halymenia durvillei water extract (HDWE) contains a dark-pink colored pigment of Rphycoerythrin (R-PE), which its stability is influenced by temperature and pH and possesses biological activities. Microencapsulation could be the solution to preserving the nature of R-PE. This study characterized the HDWE emulsion and analyzed the RPE content, antioxidants, and anti-tyrosinase activities before and after microencapsulation using sodium caseinate and maltodextrin (M-HDWE). Halymenia durvillei was extracted in distilled water (ratio 1:2, w/v) for 24 hours at 4 °C. Sodium caseinate to maltodextrin coating ratios were 1:2; 1:4; 1:6 and 1:12. Emulsion (viscosity, color, and R-PE content) and powder characteristics (surface morphology) were determined using Brookfield DV2T, ColorFlex EZ Hunterlab, UV-VIS spectrophotometry, and JeolSEM, respectively. The antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities were determined using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and mushroom tyrosinase assays. The Commision Internationale d’Éclairage (CIE) L* a* b* colorimetry result showed that the more maltodextrin and the lower viscosity, the more intense the emulsion color. Despite HDWE having roughly six-fold more R-PE content, all M-HDWE treatment samples exhibited equal R-PE contents (p 0.05). The M-HDWE 1:2; 1:4; 1:6; and 1:12 microcapsules had more wrinkled spheres and fewer cracks than MHDWE 0. The M-HDWE 1:2 had 33.10% lower antioxidant activity than the HDWE and was the highest compared to other M-HDWE compositions (17.15±1.27 µM/µg extract, p 0.05). Meanwhile, all M-HDWE had low anti-tyrosinase activity. It can be concluded that microencapsulation could be a solution for preserving HDWE’s antioxidant activity but not its anti-tyrosinase activity

Intranasal cerium oxide nanoparticles improves locomotor activity and reduces oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in haloperidol-induced parkinsonism in rats.

Introduction: Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) have been investigated for their therapeutic potential in Parkinson's disease (PD) due to their potent and regenerative antioxidant activity. In the present study, CONPs were used to ameliorate the oxidative stress caused by free radicals in haloperidol-induced PD in rats following intranasal administration. Method: The antioxidant potential of the CONPs was evaluated in vitro using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The penetration and local toxicity of the CONPs was evaluated ex-vivo using goat nasal mucosa. The acute local toxicity of intranasal CONPs was also studied in rat. Gamma scintigraphy was used to assess the targeted brain delivery of CONPs. Acute toxicity studies were performed in rats to demonstrate safety of intranasal CONPs. Further, open field test, pole test, biochemical estimations and brain histopathology was performed to evaluate efficacy of intranasal CONPs in haloperidol-induced PD rat model. Results: The FRAP assay revealed highest antioxidant activity of prepared CONPs at a concentration of 25μg/mL. Confocal microscopy showed deep and homogenous distribution of CONPs in the goat nasal mucus layers. No signs of irritation or injury were seen in goat nasal membrane when treated with optimized CONPs. Scintigraphy studies in rats showed targeted brain delivery of intranasal CONPs and acute toxicity study demonstrated safety. The results of open field and pole test showed highly significant (p < 0.001) improvement in locomotor activity of rats treated with intranasal CONPs compared to untreated rats. Further, brain histopathology of treatment group rats showed reduced neurodegeneration with presence of more live cells. The amount of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was reduced significantly, whereas the levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and GSH were increased significantly, while amounts of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) showed significant reduction after intranasal administration of CONPs. Also, the intranasal CONPs, significantly high (p < 0.001) dopamine concentration (13.93 ± 0.85ng/mg protein) as compared to haloperidol-induced control rats (5.76 ± 0.70ng/mg protein). Conclusion: The overall results concluded that the intranasal CONPs could be safe and effective therapeutics for the management of PD.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity on LPS-Stimulated RAW 264.7 Macrophage Cells of White Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Leaf Extracts.

The white mulberry (Morus alba L.) is widely used as a medicinal plant in Asia. In this study, the bioactive compounds of ethanolic extracts of white mulberry leaves from the Sakon Nakhon and Buriram cultivars were evaluated. The ethanolic extracts of mulberry leaves from the Sakon Nakhon cultivar showed the highest total phenolic content of 49.68 mg GAE/g extract and antioxidant activities of 4.38 mg GAE/g extract, 4.53 mg TEAC/g extract, and 92.78 mg FeSO4/g extract using 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,20-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, respectively. The resveratrol and oxyresveratrol compounds in mulberry leaves were also investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mulberry leaf extracts from the Sakon Nakhon and Buriram cultivars showed oxyresveratrol contents of 1.20 ± 0.04 mg/g extract and 0.39 ± 0.02 mg/g extract, respectively, whereas resveratrol was not detected. It was also found that the potent anti-inflammatory properties of mulberry leaf extracts and its compounds, resveratrol and oxyresveratrol, suppressed the LPS-stimulated inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells by significantly reducing nitric oxide production in a concentration-dependent manner. These compounds further inhibited interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production and suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Therefore, it is established that mulberry leaf extract and its bioactive compounds contribute to its anti-inflammatory activity.

Biochemical and Yield Component of Hybrid Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Resulting from Full Diallel Crosses

Chili (Capsicum annuum), economically important, is one of the world’s most popular horticultural plants. Functional biochemical components, such as polyphenol content, antioxidants, and α-glucosidase inhibitory properties, are found in chili. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a chili hybrid that resulted through full diallel crosses for its yield components, total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidants, and α-glucosidase inhibitory (AGI) activities. The Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3-colorimetric assays were, respectively, used for TPC and TFC analyses. Using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) techniques, the antioxidant activity of a sample was determined. The bioassay of α-glucosidase inhibition was used to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of the sample. The twenty-five genotypes (hybrid and parent) have diverse yield components and biochemical contents. The highest fruit weight per plant was found in IPB074005 (1008.85 g). IPB114367 showed a high AGI (80.25%), antioxidant FRAP (43.42 µmol TE g−1 DW), TFC (3.97 mg QE g−1 DW), and TPC (37.51 mg GAE g−1 DW). These findings suggested that hybrid plants that suppress α-glycosidase and oxidative stress may prevent diabetes and its complications. This vital information could help design replacement drugs and diabetes diets.

Effects of heat degradation of betanin in red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) on biological activity and antioxidant capacity.

Betanin is a red pigment of red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.), providing the beneficial effects to maintain human health. Betanin is involved in the characteristic red color of red beetroot, and used as an edible dye. Betanin is known to be a highly unstable pigment, and water solutions of betanin are nearly fully degraded after heating at 99°C for 60 min in the experimental conditions of this study. The present study investigated the effects of red beetroot juice (RBJ) and betanin on immune cells, and found that stimulation with RBJ and betanin induces interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, and IL-10 mRNA in a human monocyte derived cell line, THP-1 cells. This mRNA induction after stimulation with RBJ and betanin was not significantly changed after heat treatment when attempting to induce degradation of the betanin. Following these results, the effects of heat degradation of betanin on the inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264 cells and the antioxidant capacity were investigated. The results showed that the inhibition activity of RBJ and betanin with the LPS induced NO production is not altered after heat degradation of betanin. In addition, the results of FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) and DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assays indicate that a not inconsiderable degree of the antioxidant capacity of RBJ and betanin remained after heat degradation of betanin. These results suggest that it is important to consider the effects of degradation products of betanin in the evaluation of the beneficial effects of red beetroot on health.

Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) fruits: As a medicinal plant rich in human health-promoting compounds

Abstract Morus nigra, black mulberry, is the most attractive among mulberry species. The study aimed to determine human health-promoting content and antifungal activity in fruits of seven black mulberry genotypes grown in the Tortum district of Turkey. The genotypes exhibited significant differences in most of the human health-promoting content. Among individual sugars and organic acids, glucose (6.98–8.03 g/100 g fresh weight base) and malic acid (6.33–10.45 g/100 g fresh weight base) were predominant. The ascorbic acid content of genotypes was found between 18.13 and 26.77 mg/100 g fresh weight base, indicating that black mulberry fruits had moderate ascorbic acid content. Total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity, and total anthocyanin contents in fruit extracts of seven black mulberry genotypes were also investigated. The results showed that the levels of the aforementioned parameters changed depending on genotypes. The total phenolic and total anthocyanin contents were in the range of 1,656–2,348 μg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g and 623–804 μg C3GE (cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent)/g, respectively. The genotypes had antioxidant capacity between 17.41 and 3.86 μg/mL and between 10.08 and 14.11 μmol TE/g measured by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, respectively. Some of the genotypes (TOR-1 and TOR-2) had high antifungal activity particularly against C. albicans. It was determined that the people living in the region traditionally use mulberries as blood enhancer, immune system booster, and mouth lesion treatments to protect themselves against different types of cancers and against inflammation. The present results confirm that attractive fruits of black mulberry are a rich natural source of phenolic antioxidants and can contribute to the dietary intake of antioxidants, depending on genotypes.

Evaluation of the Nutritional, Phytochemical, and Antioxidant Potential of Rourea minor Fruits: An Underutilized Species

The present study focuses on the nutritional, phytochemical composition, and antioxidant activities of the fruits of Rourea minor (Gaertn.) Alston., an underutilized plant species. The ripened seeds contained 0.28%, 12.39%, 25.70%, 1.4%, and 3.4% of fat, protein, carbohydrate, ash, and fiber, respectively, whereas ripened pulp possessed 0.19%, 0.34%, 0.90%, 0.35%, and 0.98% of fat, protein, carbohydrates, ash, and fiber, respectively. The ripened seed and pulp were also rich in mineral elements and especially microelements. The pulp, when ripe, had high levels of microelements such as boron, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese with values of 25.98, 2523.56, 499.12, 33.62, and 40.30 µg/g DW, respectively. Phytate and oxalate content were comparatively higher in ripened seeds (6.91 and 31.88 mg/g FW) than in the pulp. Acetone, absolute methanol, water, and 70% methanol were used for the extraction of phytochemicals, and 70% methanol extract contained the highest phytochemicals. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and alkaloid content of unripe seeds was 180.47 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/DW, 68.95 quercetin equivalent (QE)/g DW, and 0.35 atropine equivalent (AE)/g DW, respectively, and that of unripe pulp was 8.21 mg GAE/g DW, 2.97 mg QE/g DW and 1.20 mg AE/g DW, respectively. All the extracts showed remarkable antioxidant activity, proved by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant activity, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, following a similar trend to the phytochemical composition. The study concludes that Rourea minor fruits, both seeds, and pulp, could be an excellent source of nutrients, microelements, and antioxidants.

Assessment of Antioxidant Stability of Meat Pâté with Allium cepa Husk Extract.

Antioxidants play a very important role in the food industry. Recently, both science and industry have shown substantial preference for natural antioxidants, including searching for antioxidant substances from natural sources without undesirable side effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding Allium cepa husk extract at a volume of 68 or 34 μL/g of unsalted blanched materials to replace 34% and 17% of the beef broth, respectively, which corresponded to a total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of 44.4 or 22.2 μmol-equiv. Q/100 g meat pté (i.e., 13.42 or 6.71 mg of quercetin/100 g meat pté), on the quality and safety indicators of the developed meat pté. The TAC according to a ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and physicochemical and microbiological characteristics were determined during the storage of the meat pté. Proximal and UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS analyses were also performed. The addition of yellow onion husk ethanolic extract to the meat pté at both volumes allowed the maintenance of an increased content of antioxidants, which contributed to a decrease in the generation of secondary products of lipid peroxidation for 14 days of storage at 4 ∘C. The results of the microbiological analyses showed that the developed meat ptés were safe according to all indicators of microbial spoilage within 10 days of production. The results supported the use of yellow onion husk extract in the food industry to contribute to improving the functionality of meat products, developing products for a healthy lifestyle, and providing clean-label foods without or with a minimal content of synthetic additives.

Screening of Syzygium cumini (L.) Seed Ethanol and Hexane Extracts for Phytochemicals, Antioxidant, and Anti-Diabetic Efficacy: An In-vitro Study

Many medicinal plant extracts have been known since ancient times to possess antioxidant activity to scavenge free radicals and anti-diabetic activity to control diabetes. In this study, seeds of Syzygium cumini were extracted in ethanol and hexane solvents. Primary and secondary metabolites were quantified. DPPH assay, nitric oxide scavenging (NOS) assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays were employed to study antioxidant activity. α-amylase inhibitory assay (AAI), yeast glucose uptake assay (YGU) and haemoglobin glycosylation inhibitory (HGI) assays were adapted to determine anti-diabetic properties. The results from the assays and the IC50 values (18.35 µg/ml in DPPH, 943.8 µg/ml in NOS, 871.3 µg/ml in FRAP, 886 µg/ml in AAI, 764 µg/ml in YGU, and 1495.1 µg/ml in HGI assay) indicate that S. cumini seed ethanol extract has higher antioxidant and anti-diabetic efficiency than the hexane extract. Our findings suggest that the rich phytochemical content of S. cumini seeds and its good antioxidant and anti-diabetic activity may be responsible for its popularity and wide traditional use and can be exploited to develop antioxidant and anti-diabetic drugs.

Comparison of Growth Patterns and Metabolite Composition of Different Ginseng Cultivars (Yunpoong and K-1) Grown in a Vertical Farm

This study analyzed growth patterns, biological compounds, antioxidant properties, ginsenoside contents, metabolites, and the annual net production of ‘Yunpoong’ and ‘K-1’ to find the optimal harvesting time of ginseng sprouts. One-year-old ginseng seedlings were cultivated in a container-type vertical farm under a temperature of 20 °C, a humidity of 60%, and average light intensity of 46.4 µmol m−2 s−1 (16 h photoperiod). Growth patterns at 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks after transplanting (WAT) differed between cultivars. Regarding biological compounds and antioxidant properties, ‘Yunpoong’ took 5 WAT (43.59%; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazine-hydrate radical scavenging activity, 1.47 OD593nm; ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, 78.01%; 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activity), and ‘K-1’ took 4 WAT (0.98 Re mg g−1; total flavonoid contents, 35.93%; DPPH) to show a high content. Two cultivars showed the highest total ginsenoside contents at 5 WAT. Most of the analyzed metabolites had a higher content in ‘Yunpoong’ than in ‘K-1’. In both cultivars, it was confirmed that the longer the growth period (3 − &gt; 5 WAT), the lower the yield and the annual ginsenoside net production. Therefore, ‘Yunpoong’ and ‘K-1’ cultivars should be grown as ginseng sprouts in the vertical farms for approximately 3 WAT and 4 WAT, respectively.

Chemoprofiling and In vitro antioxidant potentials of methanol water extracts from Nigerian ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the popular spices in Nigeria. It is highly utilised over the world as spice as well as for the treatment of inflammation, arthritis and other conditions involving reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are known to damage human cells. The proximate, phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties of the plant are reported in this work. Extraction by maceration was used for the pulverized rhizomes with methanol-water (50:50). Further partitioning of the extract was carried out using n-hexane, ethyl acetate and butanol into different fractions according to their polarity. The antioxidant activity was evaluated with 1,1-diphenyl-2-icrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, nitric oxide radical scavenging activity (NOSA) and lipid peroxidation scavenging activity (LPSA). The proximate content was determined using conventional chemical methods. The FTIR analyses of n-hexane fraction of Z. officinale revealed some functional groups that may be present in two likely classes of secondary metabolites: terpenes and alkaloids. The ethyl acetate fraction produced flavonoid (121.31 mg/100 g; quercetin) and alkaloids because of the functional groups associated with them, while the butanol fraction with functional groups present revealed cardiac glycosides (4.88 mg/100 g; digoxin) and alkaloids (45.19 mg/100 g). The plant also contained reducing sugar (64.62 mg/100 g glucose), steroids (8.65 mg/100 g; cholesterol), tannins (56.82 mg/100 g; tannic acid) and phenolic compounds (110.64 mg/100 g; gallic acid) from the phytochemical analyses. The proximate analysis revealed that it has a high carbohydrate content (54.54%), but a relatively modest crude fibre (10.21%), moisture content (10.02%), total ash (9.30%), crude fat (8.80%) and crude protein (7.12%). The presence of these phyto-compounds could explain its customary use as oxidative stress inhibitor.

Antioxidant potential of styrene pyrone polyphenols from Inonotus obliquus: A combined experimental, density functional theory (DFT) approach and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation

Polyphenols containing styrene pyranone skeleton are unique to porous fungi. Inonotus obliquus (IO) is a medicinal and edible porous fungus. Twelve phenolic compounds containing four styryl pyranone polyphenols from IO were isolated and identified in this work. The antioxidant ability of the isolates was characterized utilizing the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) radical scavenging test. Styrylpyranone polyphenols, especially methylinoscavin B, could capture free radicals better than other phenolic compounds, and quantum chemical calculations also confirmed this evaluation. The density functional theory (DFT) calculation data showed that Styrylpyranone polyphenols, especially methylinoscavin B, have a lower energy gap, higher softness and higher electronic chemical potential than other phenolic compounds. The bond dissociation energy values of the bond in C7ʹ O–H of the methylinoscavin B molecule are less than those in C11 and C6ʹ O–H when reacting with ∙OOH (selected as a representative free radical). On the basis of calculations, hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) is supposed to be a preferred mechanism over single electron transfer (SET) when phenolic compounds react with free radicals. Moreover, after treatment with final concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 μM phelligridin E (PHE), the activity of SOD1 increased by 70.15%, 11.36%, 145.45%, 172.73%, 205.05% and 275.23%, respectively. The molecular dynamics simulation (MD) study of PHE employed SOD1 (PDB ID: 6FN8). The MD results showed that the hydrogen bonds between ASP147 of SOD1 and PHE promote GLU223-ARG224 to form a stable C coil after combining with PHE. The formation of the C Coil enhanced the stability of the electrostatic loop (EL) of SOD1 and the rate of diffusion of the superoxide anion to the active site. Styrylpyrone polyphenols of Inonotus obliquus origin have the potential to be a source of vigorous free radical scavengers and antioxidant enzyme activators.

Functional, antioxidant, and sensory properties of mixed-fruit (pitaya, watermelon, and mint) and pitaya wines.

Fermentation of fruits offers a diverse range of flavors, smells, and colors. Colored fruits are rich in naturally occurring pigments, such as betacyanin. Hence, they are considered to possess powerful antioxidant activities. However, in wine production, such pigments often diversify the flavor and color of the wine. The objective of this study was to compare the quality of two types of wines: a single-fruit (pitaya) wine and a mixed-fruit wine that contains watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), mint (Mintha spicata), and pitaya (Hylocereus costaricensis). In this study, fresh pitaya, watermelon, and mint leaves were fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Juice extracts underwent fermentation at room temperature for 7 days under dark conditions. Physicochemical changes, such as pH, sugar content, specific gravity, and alcohol content, were observed daily. The antioxidant activities were measured by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and total phenolic contents (TPCs). After 14 days of fermentation, the alcohol contents of mixed and pitaya wine were 11.22% (v/v) and 11.25%, respectively. The total sugar content of the mixed wine was 8.0 °Brix, while that of pitaya wine was 7.0 °Brix. Moreover, pitaya wine exhibited a higher TPC (22.7 mg GAE/100 g D.W.), and better FRAP (3578 μmole/L) and DPPH scavenging ability (80.2%) compared to the mixed wine with a TPC of 21.4 mg GAE/100 g D.W., FRAP of 2528 μmole/L, and DPPH of 75.6%., while the addition of watermelon and mint did not change the alcohol percentage contents of wine.

Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seed extracts using soxhlet method

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is one of the oldest fruit crops grown in the arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East. It has numerous uses in medicine, pharmacognosy, and even religion, making it more than just a valuable food source. The aim of the study is to assess the yield percentage, total phenolic content (TPC), phenolic compositions, and antioxidant activity of three P. dactylifera cultivars, namely, Khudori, Sabaka, and Nabtat Ali, using methanol and hexane as solvents for Soxhlet extraction. The antioxidant potential of the extract was evaluated based on total phenolic content, the 2,2, diphenyl-2-picryl-hydroxyl (DPPH) assay, and the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, whereas phenolic compounds were identified and quantified using HPLC. Methanolic extracts of various seed cultivars showed higher yield recovery and TPC than hexane extracts. Khudori seeds demonstrated the highest antioxidant capacities compared to the other cultivars, with 124.54 ± 2.89 mg GAE /100 g for TPC, 79.67 ± 4.53 percentage inhibition for DPPH, and 1.49 ± 0.53 mMTE/100g for FRAP. It shows the potential of the Khudori seed extracts as a good source of antioxidant nutraceutical food and useful drug development that can help with free radical-related diseases.

Skin healing effects of an innovative polymer-based oil Nigella sativa: a rabbit model experimental study.

Natural wound dressings composed of gelatin (GEL) and chitosan (CH) impregnated with bioactive compounds (Nigella sativa oil) were prepared and characterized to evaluate their potential application. The formulated composite was subjected to γ-irradiation. In vitro, the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and antibiofilm activities were evaluated. In vivo, the tissue wound-healing process was studied by applying GEL-CH-Nigella in dorsal skin rabbit tissue. On days 7 and 14, the biochemical biomarker and histological analysis were determined. At 10 kGy, FRAP assays exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (380 mmol/kg). A significant inhibition of anti-biofilm activity was observed against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) (p<0.01). Fourteen days post-surgery, a significant reduction in thiobarbituric acid-reactive compounds (TBARs) was observed compared to the GEL-CH group. Concerning oxidative stress status, GEL-CH-Nigella significantly improved superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. A histological analysis revealed that GEL-CH-Nigella accelerated wound closure and improved collagenisation and enhanced epidermal tissue thickness. These results indicate that GEL-CH-Nigella wound dressing is a promising biomaterial for engineered tissue.

Antioxidant and Antimalarial Activities of Methanol Extract of Picralima nitida Root Bark

Ethnomedically, the root, stem bark, seed or leaves of Picralima nitida are relevant in local preparations as antimalaria, antipyretic, antihypertensive and gastrointestinal agents. This study was therefore designed to determine the antimalarial and antioxidant effects of the methanol extract of the root bark of Picralima nitida using standard procedures. The antioxidant activity of the methanol root bark extract was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The antimalarial activity of the methanol root bark extract was investigated using the 4-day suppressive test in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. The extract showed a concentration-dependent antioxidant activity with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for free radical scavenging activity of 10.19 µg/mL, while the FRAP value was 0.17 ± 0.00 mM FSE/g Extract. The extract demonstrated significant antimalarial activity with 68.33% and 67.27% parasitaemia suppression at doses of 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg, respectively. The present study has shown that the root bark extract of P. nitida has antioxidant and antimalarial activities. This study does not only validate the claimed ethnomedicinal use of the plant as antimalaria but also has shown the plant as a potential source of active antimalarial agent.

Phytochemical screening and in-vitro biological properties of unprocessed and household processed fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn.) seeds and leaves

The impact of household processes on fenugreek leaves and seeds has been analyzed for total phenolic (TP) and total flavonoid content (TF), and in-vitro biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Processes included air-drying for leaves and germinating, soaking, and boiling for seeds. Air-dried fenugreek leaves (ADFL) had high TP (15.27 mg GAE g−1 D.W.) and TF (7.71 mg QE g−1 D.W.) (milligram quercetin equivalents per gram dry weight). The TP contents of unprocessed, germinated, soaked, and boiled seeds were 6.54, 5.60, 4.59, and 3.84 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry weight (mg GAE g−1 D.W.), respectively. The TF contents in unprocessed fenugreek seeds, germinated fenugreek seeds, soaked fenugreek seeds, and boiled fenugreek seeds (BFS) were 4.23, 2.11, 2.10, and 2.33 mg QE g−1 D.W., respectively. Sixteen phenolic and nineteen flavonoid compounds has been identified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH·), 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+·), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP·) assays indicated that ADFL had the highest activity. Antimicrobial activity has been evaluated against each of the eight pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. ADFL showed the strongest activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations values ranging from 0.03 to 1.06 and 0.04 to 1.18 mg ml·1 against bacterial and fungal strains, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in-vitro against RAW 264.7 macrophage cells using the nitric oxide (NO) assay. Results revealed that ADFL had the highest cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory activity according to the NO assay. Household processes significantly reduced the in-vitro biological properties of processed seeds.

Phytochemical constituents, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Plectocephalus varians (A. Rich.) C. Jeffrey ex Cufod root extracts

Plants have been used to treat diverse types of diseases in different cultural groups around the globe. In this regard, the root of Plectocephalus varians (P. varians) is claimed to have a beneficiary effect in treating cancer and hemorrhoids in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed at the phytochemical investigation, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities of n-hexane, acetone, and methanolic extracts of P. varians root. The different crude extracts of P. varians were obtained through maceration technique. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) of the extracts were estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu Reagent (FCR) and aluminum chloride colorimetric assays, respectively. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The antibacterial activities of the extracts were assessed by using disc diffusion method. The results echoed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, phenols, tannins, anthraquinones, terpenoids, polyphenols, and glycosides in the root of P. varians. The methanolic root extract (MRE) had the highest TPC (107.18 mg GAE/g) and TFC (120.194 mg QE/g) followed by acetone root extract (ARE) (TPC = 98.68 mg GAE/g; TFC = 64.038 mg QE/g) and n-hexane root extract (HRE) (TPC = 12.39 mg GAE/g; TFC = 9.917 mg QE/g). The DPPH radical scavenging and FRAP assays demonstrated the antioxidant effects of HRE (IC50 = 681.75 ppm; EC50 = 60.65 ppm), ARE (IC50 = 165.73 ppm; EC50 = 51.67 ppm) and MRE (IC50 = 132.06 ppm; EC50 = 30.97 ppm) of P. varians. Furthermore, the root fractions elicited pronounced dose-dependent growth inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococci pyogenes, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae with mean zone of inhibition (MZI) ranging from 11 ± 0.38 to 20 ± 0.04 mm at 800 ppm. Overall, the present study provides ethnopharmacological evidence suggesting the medicinal importance of P. varians. The results also call for further bioassay-guided phytochemical screening and in vitro and/or in vivo bioactivity testing.