Mmol Fe2 Research Articles

Effect of microencapsulation on antioxidant and antifungal properties of aqueous extract of pomegranate peel.

The aqueous extract of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel compounds was freeze-dried (FDPOPx) and encapsulated using two wall forming components at two concentrations (maltodextrin: MDX and β-cyclodextrin: βCDX; 5 and 10%) with a mass ratio of 1:5 (extract/wall material). Different properties of the encapsulated powders (bioactive components, physicochemical and morphological properties) and storage stability of prepared microcapsules were evaluated during 42days of storage at a different relative humidity (52 and 75%) and temperatures (4 and 25°C). Encapsulated powder with βCDX-10% had the highest total phenolic compounds (TPC: 58.78mg GA/g) and antioxidant capacity [FRAP: 1414.76μmol Fe2+/g and DPPH assay (RSA): 77.83%] among other wall materials. The amounts of TPC and their antioxidant capacity decreased during the 42days of storage. However, the highest TPC was observed in the freeze-dried MDX-10% % encapsulated powder at 4°C storage temperature and 52% relative humidity with a half-life (t1/2) of 81days, the reaction rate constant (k) of 0.85 × 10-2min-1 and the glass transition temperature of 69.73°C. In addition, the polyphenolic extracts (both free and encapsulated) were able to control the growth of yeasts and molds, and maintaining the sensory properties of cupcakes as the model food system. The lowest growth after 9days of storage of cupcake was observed in samples prepared with 1.5% of microencapsulated powder (MDX-10%) which was equivalent to the effect of the chemical preservative potassium sorbate.

Traditional and Unconventional Dried Fruit Snacks as a Source of Health-Promoting Compounds.

Dried fruits are important, healthy and popular snacks, despite the limited information on their nutritional profiles and phytochemical composition. The present work was aimed to study the chemical composition of freeze-dried fruits from four fruit species: two common commercial snacks (apple and goji) and two innovative products (kaki and kiwi). Sugar and organic acid levels, total phenolics (TPC), and main health-promoting phytochemicals were studied by HPLC fingerprinting analysis. Furthermore, in vitro antioxidant capacity (AOC) was preliminarily observed in these products. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was carried out as a multivariate approach as well. The TPC ranged from 210.9 mg GAE/100g DW (kiwi) to 872.6 mg GAE/100g DW (kaki), while dried fruit antioxidant capacity ranged from 23.09 mmol Fe2+/kg DW (goji) to 137.5 mmol Fe2+/kg DW (kaki). The most important phytochemical class in apple (two cultivars), kiwi, and kaki dried fruits was phenolics (from 74.6% to 93.3%), while monoterpenes were the first class in goji (67.5%). No anthocyanins have been identified in dried fruits because these compounds are most likely converted to phenolic acids during the drying process. This research intended to stimulate large-scale exploitation of commercial dried fruits as functional foods as well.

Gundelia rosea seed: Evaluation of biopharmaceutical potential and bioactive composition

Gundelia species are among significant key medicinal plants extensively utilized in folk medicine of Middle Eastern countries. This study focused on researching the biopharmaceutical potency and bioactive compounds of Gundelia rosea seed. Hereby, traditional knowledge-based preparing methods (infusion and decoction) and ethanol-based lyophilized extracts obtained from Gundelia rosea seeds were assessed for (i) antioxidant capacities, (ii) enzyme inhibitory activities, (iii) HPLC-MS/MS and (iv) GC–MS studies.Phytochemical analysis revealed that ethanol extract which primarily compromised of mainly phenolics (4-Caffeoylquinic acid and luteolin hexoside) and several fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids), was superior to those of infusion and decoction extracts. Antioxidant activities findings revealed that ethanol extract contained a high level of total phenolics (55.3 mg Gallic acid Eq./g extract) and had high capacities of reducing (1683 μmol Fe2+ and 214.1 mg Trolox Eq./g extract for FRAP and CUPRAC respectively) and radical scavenging (ORAC: 2241.9 μmol, DPPH: 91.7 mg, ABTS: 141.2 mg Trolox Eq./g extract) and total antioxidant (Phosphomolybdenum: 1.39 mmol Trolox Eq./g extract) properties. The suppressive abilities of the extracts against selected isolated enzymes revealed that ethanol extract had pronounced levels of inhibitory activities against AChE (4.3 mg Galanthamine Eq.), BChE (3.4 mg Galanthamine Eq.), tyrosinase (120 mg Kojic acid Eq.), amylase (0.61 mmol Acarbose Eq.), glucosidase (11.91 mmol Acarbose Eq.) and lipase (53.4 μmol Orlistat Eq.) per gram extract. Findings obtained within this study confirmed the traditional utilization of Gundelia rosea and suggest its potential as a novel candidate of biopharmaceutical agents for public health problems.

Bioguided extraction of phenolic compounds and UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS characterization of extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves collected in Brazil.

Moringa oleifera leaves are used in Brazilian folk medicine for their hypoglycemic and nutritional properties. In this context, the chemical and biological characteristics were determined. Conventional successive solid-liquid extraction with simultaneous bioguided purification using solvents with different polarities was performed with M. oleifera leaves, yielding six fractions and extracts. The fractions showed better results for antioxidant activity than the extracts. All of them were evaluated by scavenging of synthetic free radicals and reactive oxygen species, and Fr-Ace and Fr-EtOAc showed >100 mg GAE g-1 of phenolic content, while for FRAP and ORAC assays the values were higher than 1600 μmol Fe2+ g-1 and 3500 mmol TEAC g-1 respectively. The UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis of hydroalcoholic extract (HE) allowed identifying 24 compounds, with flavonoid derivatives being the most abundant group. Furthermore, the alkaloid trigonelline and sesquiterpenoid abscisic acid were identified for the first time in M. oleifera leaves. Finally, gallic acid, caffeic acid, rutin and quercetin were found in concentrations of 16.5, 2129, 477.4 and 127.5 μg g-1 respectively in HE, all of which were higher in fractions and extracts. These results suggest that bioguided extraction is an important technique, due to its ability to concentrate active compounds in a logical and rational way. In addition, M. oleifera leaves grown in Brazil are an important source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity that can be used in food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products.

Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activities of 30 Tea Infusions from Green, Black, Oolong, White, Yellow and Dark Teas.

Tea is among the most consumed drink worldwide, and its strong antioxidant activity is considered as the main contributor to several health benefits, such as cardiovascular protection and anticancer effect. In this study, the antioxidant activities of 30 tea infusions, which were obtained by the mimic of drinking tea of the public, from green, black, oolong, white, yellow and dark teas, were evaluated using ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays, ranging from 504.80 ± 17.44 to 4647.47 ± 57.87 µmol Fe2+/g dry weight (DW) and 166.29 ± 24.48 to 2532.41 ± 50.18 µmol Trolox/g DW, respectively. Moreover, their total phenolic contents (TPC) were detected by Folin-Ciocalteu assay and were in the range of 24.77 ± 2.02 to 252.65 ± 4.74 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g DW. Generally, Dianqing Tea, Lushan Yunwu Tea, and Xihu Longjing Tea showed the strongest antioxidant activities among 30 teas. Furthermore, the phenolic compounds in tea infusions were identified and quantified, with catechins most commonly detected, especially in green tea infusions, which were main contributors to their antioxidant activities. Besides tea polyphenols, considerable content of caffeine also presented in 30 tea infusions.

Antioxidant activity and nutritional value in mature fruit of seven mulberry cultivars

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is a traditional Chinese fruit used effectively in folk medicines to treat fever, protect the liver from damage, facilitate discharge of urine and lower blood pressure. Mulberry fruit contain large amounts of several antioxidants including anthocyanins, phenolic compounds and vitamin C. This study investigated the antioxidant activity, total phenolics, total flavonoids, vitamin C, anthocyanins and nutrient content of seven mulberry cultivars including: 1) ‘Vietnam GQ2’, 2) ‘Taiwan 46C019’, 3) ‘Taiwan 228’, 4) ‘Taiwan 203’, 5) ‘Taiwan 108’, 6) ‘Taiwan Miaoli No.2’, and 7) ‘Taiwan Miaoli No.1’. Mature mulberry fruit were collected from a plantation at the Royal Project Agricultural Station Pangda, in Samoeng District, Chiang Mai Province, during January 2016 to March 2017. The experiment was a completely randomized design. Fruit of ‘Taiwan 203’ had the highest antioxidant activity (7948 µmol Fe2+ g(‑1)), total phenolic compound (391.78 GAE 100 g(‑1) FW), total flavonoids (62.04 mg (CE) 100 g(‑1) FW), vitamin C (76.92 mg 100 g(‑1) FW), anthocyanins (808.00 mg 100 g(‑1) DW) and nutritional value (3.18% K, 0.53% Ca, 23.33 ppm Zn, 18.75 ppm Mn and 64.00 ppm Fe). Therefore, ‘Taiwan 203’ mulberry should be grown in the Samoeng District, Chiang Mai Province as a good source of natural antioxidants and nutrients that could be utilized in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.

Chemical variability of Hertia cheirifolia (L.) Kuntze essential oils and incidence on antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities

ABSTRACTThe essential oils of Hertia cheirifolia, collected from different bioclimatic zones of Tunisia, were analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. The major compounds were α-pinene (17.51–60.31%), germacrene D (6.14–19.18%), unknown drimenin isomer (9.39–32.39%) and drimenin (0.46–33.61%). The essential oil composition varied significantly between populations. The chemical differentiation among populations occurs regardless their eco-geographic appurtenances. The species essential oils exhibited antioxidant and antiacetylcholinesterase activities. However, the level of activity varied between populations. The highest scavenging activity characterized the essential oils of the species collected from Sousse and Zaghouan (22.26 and 21.35 mg TE/gEO). Essential oils from Sousse possessed the uppermost inhibition of β-carotene bleaching (37.82 mg BHT equivalent/gEO). Essential oils from Sousse and Makthar exhibited the highest reducing capacity (162.05 and 171.80 µmol Fe2+/gEO). Essential oils from Siliana possessed the highest chelating ability (17.55 mg EDTA equivalent/gEO). Those from Siliana and Sousse exhibited the highest antiacetylcholinesterase activity (3.03 and 2.91 mg donepezil/gEO).

Ficus deltoidea: Effects of solvent polarity on antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities in breast and colon cancer cells

IntroductionFicus deltoiea (FD) is traditionally used to treat hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and diabetes. Limited studies are available on their anti-proliferative effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts of three varieties of FD and to evaluate their anti-proliferative effects on breast and colon cancer cells. MethodsThe plant extracts were analysed for polyphenolic and flavonoid content. Antioxidant activities were determined using DPPH, ABTS and O2·− radical scavenging assays, FRAP, Fe2+ chelating, and cellular antioxidant assays. The anti-proliferative activity and apoptotic effects of the extracts was analysed using breast (MCF-7, MDA-MB 231, HCC 1937) and colon cancer (HCT 116) cell lines. Gene expression analysis of selected extracts was investigated against HCT 116 cells. ResultsMethanol was the best solvent for extraction of antioxidants and had the highest polyphenolic content (70–100 mg GAE/g), FRAP (6.0–9.0 mmol Fe2+/g), ABTS (2.0–3.0 mmol TE/g) and DPPH (EC50:200-410 μg/mL) activities. The ethyl acetate extracts of FD variety A (FDA-EA) and B (FDB-EA) demonstrated anti-proliferative activities in MCF-7, MDA-MB 231, and HCT 116 (IC50<100 μg/mL) and moderate activities in HCC 1937 (IC50:150-200 μg/mL) cells. The extracts also increased caspase 3/7 activities in HCT 116 and HCC 1937 cells. HCT 116 cells treated with FDA-EA showed upregulation of Fas1, Bax, Cdk-1, TNF-α and Cdk-2 and downregulation of Bcl-2 and Tp53 genes, implying the induction of apoptosis. ConclusionFD especially FDA-EA is a promising source of antioxidants and anti-proliferative agents, especially against colon cancer.

Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant Activities of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Plant during Growth Cycle

It is important to identify the growth stage at which the plant has the maximum antioxidant properties for the production of bioactive compounds from crops or agricultural by-products or for forage as a possible source of antioxidants in livestock. Therefore, we investigated the phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of the aerial part of soybean at seven stages classified as vegetative stages (V5 and V6) and reproductive stages (R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5). Aqueous-methanol extracts were evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), antioxidant activity as determined by photochemiluminescence assay (PCL-ACL), Fe2+ chelating ability, and antiradical activity against DPPH•. The extracts with the highest TPC content were obtained at stages V6 and R5. The phenolic compounds profile, as determined by DAD-HPLC, was characterized by 19 compounds, that differed significantly by growth stage (p &lt; 0.05). Antioxidant tests showed significant differences among stages (p &lt; 0.05). The lowest TEAC value was found for the R2 stage and the highest values for the R3 and R1 stages. FRAP values ranged from 623 to 780 μmol Fe2+/g extract. PCL-ACL values ranged from 516 to 560 μmol Trolox eq./g extract; Fe2+ chelation ability ranged from 36.5 to 51.7%. The highest antiradical activity against DPPH• was found in the extract from the V5 stage, which had the lowest EC50 value. The extracts of soybean plant can be used in pharmacy for the production of nutraceuticals by virtue of their good antioxidant activity and content of flavonols and other bioactive constituents.

Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy as a tool for predicting antioxidant activity of propolis

The propolis chemical composition is complex, varied, and closely related to characteristics of the vegetation and location where the hives are located. The objective of this work was to determine the antioxidant activity through FRAP methodology in propolis (raw, macerated, ethanolic extract and concentrated ethanolic extract) using a rapid and non-destructive method namely Fourier transform near-infrared (FTNIR) spectroscopy. By the results obtained for the antioxidant activity it can be verified that the samples of propolis present a very diversified chemical profile, for the FRAP methodology the samples of propolis collected in Três Barras – SC and Campo Magro – PR showed the highest activities: 1.8 × 103 and 1.6 × 103 μmol of Fe2+ g−1 respectively. It was possible to conclude that the macerated propolis presented the best multivariate calibration model established with the Savitzky-Golay (SG) + Constant Offset Elimination (COE) preprocessed spectra, where the R2 and 0.95 and 113 for FRAP determination. The error values RMSEC, RMSECV and RMSEE were 73, 1.3 × 102 and 81 μmol Fe2+ g−1, respectively. The FRAP model for macerated propolis was validated and can be used for quantification of antioxidant activity of new extracts of propolis, being useful as an alternative to rapid analysis, reducing waste generation and cost.

Effect of particle size on the bioaccessibility of polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea powder and its antioxidant activity after simulated human digestion.

The bioaccessibilities of polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea powders (GTPs) with different particle sizes of 564.24µm, 74.85µm, 34.62µm and 15.10µm and their antioxidant activities were investigated using an in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion model. The results showed that particle size significantly affected the bioaccessibilities of polyphenols and polysaccharides before and after digestion, except for the bioaccessibility of polysaccharides after gastric plus intestinal (GI) digestion, thus significantly affecting the antioxidant activity of GTPs. Compared with the undigested initial amount, the bioaccessibilities of polyphenols in all GTPs were approximately 59.98-71.00% after gastric digestion and 9.69-15.57% after GI digestion, and the bioaccessibilities of polysaccharides were approximately 71.10-79.51% after gastric digestion and 113.78-190.38% after GI digestion. With the decrease in particle size, the FRAP value of GTP before digestion was significantly increased and that of 15.10µm was the largest (4.96mmol Fe2+/g). Both the FRAP and DPPH values after digestion showed a trend of first increasing and subsequently decreasing; 74.85µm GTP had the largest FRAP (4.11mmol Fe2+/g) and DPPH (156.61mg VCE/g) values after gastric digestion, and 34.62µm GTP had the largest FRAP (0.16mmol Fe2+/g) and DPPH (1.43mg VCE/g) values after GI digestion. This study suggested that the bioaccessibilities of polyphenols and polysaccharides in GTPs and their antioxidant activity can be improved by properly reducing the particle size such that TGPs can exert more beneficial health effects.

Three-Phase Partitioning for the Extraction and Purification of Polysaccharides from the Immunomodulatory Medicinal Mushroom Inonotus obliquus.

Polysaccharides from the immunomodulatory medicinal mushroom Inonotus obliquus (IOPS) were extracted and purified using three-phase partitioning (TPP), which is an efficient, fast, safe, and green purification technique. An optimal extraction procedure that gave a good 2.2% isolated yield was identified, using the following protocol: a solid-liquid ratio of 1 g to 12 mL; mass fraction of (NH4)2SO4 20% (w/v); 11 mL t-butanol; pH 8.0; temperature 30 °C; and extraction time 30 min. The purified IOPS was shown to be a proteoglycan of 40 kDa molecular weight comprising of d-galactose, d-glucose, d-xylose, and d-mannose in a molar ratio of 2.0:3.5:1.0:1.5. The purified IOPS displayed strong free-radical scavenging abilities, antioxidant activities, and immunological activity in vitro. IOPS’ Trolox antioxidant equivalent capacity and ferric-reducing ability of plasma were 251.2 μmol Trolox/g sample and 1040.5 μmol Fe2+/g sample, respectively, with the activity of its immunomodulatory behavior shown to be gradient dependent.

In vitro antihypertensive and antioxidative properties of alcalase-derived Moringa oleifera seed globulin hydrolysate and its membrane fractions

Moringa seed peptides were tested for antioxidant properties through free radical scavenging abilities (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays [HRSAs]), inhibition of metal iron (ferric reducing antioxidant power [FRAP] and metal chelation tests) and in vitro antihypertensive properties through angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and renin inhibition tests. Compared to the hydrolysates, membrane fractionation led to improved antioxidative properties. Significant among the samples are <1 kDa (67.77%), 3–5 kDa (44.15%), 5–10 kDa (0.153 mmol Fe2+), and 3–5 kDa (11%) for DPPH, HRSAs, FRAP, and metal chelation ability, respectively. While there was a progressive increase in inhibition of the membrane fraction against ACE with the 5–10 kDa having significantly (p < 0.05) higher (73%) inhibition compared to other, there was no particular trend for the renin inhibition. However, the 5–10 kDa still showed better inhibition (57%) ability compared to others membrane fraction. We concluded that alcalase globulin hydrolysate and its membrane fractions possessed potent bioactive peptides. Practical applications Consumers more than ever before are getting concerned about the food they consume. This has resulted in the development and growth of functional foods. Functional foods are foods that are able to provide some physiological benefits such as antioxidative, antidiabetes, antihypertensive, and antiinflammatory among others besides their normal provision of nutrition. The growth of functional food market is due to the discovery of bioactive components in foods and viable opportunities still exist unexplored, especially with respect to the locally available and cheap underutilized crops such as Moringa oleifera seed. Plant-derived antioxidants (such as bioactive peptides) have gained considerable importance due to their potential health benefits; also epidemiological studies have shown that consumption of plant foods is beneficial. This benefit could readily be provided by peptides from Moringa oleifera seed; a cheap and commonly available but underutilized crop.

Phytochemical Content, Radical Scavenging Ability &amp;amp; Enzyme Inhibiting Activities of Selected Spices (Cinnamon, Cardamom and Cloves)

Cinnamon, cardamom and cloves have been widely used for medicinal purposes as well as essential cooking ingredients for flavor. The objective of the research was to investigate the antioxidant content, antioxidant capacity, and inhibition of lipid and carbohydrate metabolizing enzyme activities of selected spices (cinnamon, cardamom & cloves) methanol (ME) and water extracts (WE). The phytochemical content was determined by total phenolic and total flavanoid content. The antioxidant potential was determined by measuring 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) in spice’s (ME) and (WE) extracts. Total phenolic (GAE mg/100g dry weight) and flavonoid (mg CE/100g dry weight) content were the highest in Cloves (ME) 174.4 and 101.06. The lowest values for phenolic content were seen in ME and WE of Cardamom at 31.24 and 7.55. The DPPH IC50 values ranged from 0.22mg/mL (Cloves ME) to 0.60mg/mL (Cardamom ME). FRAP (μmol Fe2+/100g dry weight) for Cinnamon, Cardamom (ME) was 2438.5 and 325. Clove (ME) had a significantly higher reducing potential of 6888.5 which might have been attributed by the high amounts of phenolics and flavonoids in the spice. FRAP in spice extracts (WE) was lower with values of 2296.5 and 218.5 and 2310.5, respectively. The highest inhibition of the α-glucosidase was observed by Clove (ME) 86.5%, which also had the highest amylase enzyme inhibition at 71%. However, inhibition of the lipase enzyme was highest by the Cinnamon (WE) extracts 44.3%. The potential of phytochemicals in spices was studied and if consumed in high amounts could offer antioxidative properties and regulate key digestive enzymes which may lead to prevention or decreased progression of diseases such as Cancer, Diabetes and Cardiovascular diseases.

Comparative study of the antioxidant activity of popular tea brands from trade market

Tea is a traditional drink containing antioxidants of phenolic nature and other phytonutrients. 17 kinds of tea in bags were analysed. Extraction of phenolic substances and flavonoids was carried out with 50% ethanol, after which the content of phenolic substances, flavonoids, antiradical activity by the DPPH method, restoring ability by the FRAP method were determined. The obtained results testify the high potential of certain types of tea to block free radicals in model experiments in vitro due to the presence of phenolic substances (1086–1277 mg of gallic acid / 100 g of raw material). The most anti-radical activity among the studied objects belongs to GreenField teas – 0.33 and 0.34 mg / ml (the concentration of extract required to bind 50% of the DPPH radicals in the solution is 1 mg / ml). The ability to express a reducing ability for iron ions significantly distinguishes Black Curtis and Black Blooming Thyme (21.96 and 19.44 mmol Fe2+ / 1 kg of raw material). Study of antioxidant activity in vitro of the presented objects revealed a group of objects containing phenolic substances, flavonoids, which in the model experiments in vitro possess high anti-radical, antioxidant and reducing properties.

A Study on Hydrogen Peroxide Scavenging Activity and Ferric Reducing Ability of Simple Coumarins

Coumarin compounds are δ-lactones where α-pyrone ring is fused with benzene ring. Coumarins are widely distributed in the plant kingdom as well as they are very important in synthetic organic chemistry. Coumarins have great interest because of their abundance in nature and diverse pharmacological activities including antibacterial, antiviral, antipyretic, and anticoagulant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer. This study focused on synthesizing different simple Coumarins and studying their antioxidant activity. Four simple Coumarins (Coumarin (C1), 4-hydroxy coumarin (C2), 7-hydroxy coumarin (C3) and 7-hydoxy-4-methyl coumarin (C4)) were synthesized by using standard methods and were characterized by using UV, IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectra. Antioxidant activity of the simple Coumarins was studied by using standard FRAP assay and Hydrogen peroxide assay and expressed as FRAP value (mmol Fe2+/g) and IC50 value (mg/dm-3) respectively. Ascorbic acid was used as standard. All synthesized simple Coumarins showed both antioxidant activities. Hydroxyl Coumarins (C2, C3 and C4) showed higher activities in both cases than C1. Among the hydroxyl Coumarins C3 showed highest hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and Ferric reducing capacity too. Antioxidant power of the tested simple Coumarins in decreasing order was C3, C2, C4 and C1 in both cases. But the hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and Ferric reducing capacity of the all synthesized simple Coumarins were lower when compared to standard ascorbic acid.

Ultrasound assisted extraction of bioactive compounds from pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) technology was used for extracting effective components from pomegranate (Punica granatum L.variety SisheKape-Ferdos) peel (POP). A response surface method was used to investigate the effects of independent process variables (ultrasonic amplitude (power control, UA): 20, 60 and 100%, and ultrasonic exposure time (UET): 5, 10 and 15 min) on the yield (Y) and antioxidant characteristics: total phenolic compounds (TPC), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging (DPPH), ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP), half maximal of radical-scavenging activity (IC50) of aqueous pomegranate peel extract. According to Derringer's desired function approach, the optimal conditions based on both individual and combinations of all process variables were UA 60% and UET 6.2 min, and at this optimum condition, the predicted maximum values of Y, TPC, DPPH, FRAP, and IC50 of the pomegranate peel extract (POPx) were 13.1%, 42.2 mg GA/g, 88.8%, 1824.6 μmol Fe2+/g, and 0.51 mg/mL, respectively. The experimental values were in a good agreement with the predicted values. Also, at optimal conditions, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract (mean diameter of inhibition zone: 17.7 mm) showed that it had antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger.

Physicochemical characterization of an arabinoxylan-rich fraction from brewers' spent grain and its application as a release matrix for caffeine

The brewers' spent grain is a by-product generated during brewery process and is a potential source for arabinoxylans (AX) extraction. In the present work, the extraction and characterization of an arabinoxylan-rich fraction from brewers' spent grain (BSG-AX) were performed, and BSG-AX was evaluated as release matrix for caffeine. The BSG-AX showed an AX content of 72% (w/w), a ferulic acid content of 3.52 μg/mg BSG-AX, an Ara/Xyl ratio of 0.89, an intrinsic viscosity of 41.18 mL g−1, and a molecular weight of 43.80 kDa. The studied BSG-AX showed a good antioxidant capacity compared with other polysaccharide gums and was estimated by DPPH (114.41 μM Trolox equivalent/g BSG-AX) and FRAP (49.01 μmol Fe2+/g BSG-AX) assays. The partial specific volume (0.63 cm3 g−1), loss on drying (10.68%), swelling (10.87%), solubility (80.93%) and electrostatic interactions (by zeta potential, −3.44 to −9.17 mV) were determined and used to evaluate the application of the BSG-AX as release matrix. A film containing the BSG-AX, glycerol (as plasticizer) and caffeine (target drug) was prepared as release matrix. Glycerol promoted an increase in the extensibility and the surface smoothness of the BSG-AX-caffeine film. The drug was released (≈98%) in about 7 h. These results are promising to concern the design and use of BSG-AX based biofilms for the controlled release of bioactive compounds.

Influence of time, temperature and solvent on the extraction of bioactive compounds of Baccharis dracunculifolia: In vitro antioxidant activity, antimicrobial potential, and phenolic compound quantification

The suitability of a protocol for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from plant biomass is of extreme importance for the standardization of extraction of compounds of industrial interest. The objective of this work was to study the best conditions for the extraction of phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity (AA) of the Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (Bd) plant using response surface methodology (RSM). A full factorial design (FFD) 23 was conducted to analyze the effects of time, temperature, and solvent concentration for ethanol and acetone solvents and an FFD 22 for time and temperature, using water as a solvent. The total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP) were the dependent variables analyzed for all FFD. There was a variation for TPC from 19.81 to 37.22 mg (GAE) g−1 (Gallic acid equivalent), for DPPH from 64.68 to 222.07 (μmol Trolox g−1), for ABTS from 140.26 to 399.67 (μmol TEAC g−1), and for FRAP from 308.62 to 704.56 (mmol Fe2+ g−1). The optimal extraction conditions determined by FFD were: 90 min at 80 °C in water, 90 min at 80 °C in 40% ethanol, and 90 min at 80 °C in 40% acetone. The extracts with a greater quantity of TPC presented higher AA, and there was a strong and positive correlation between TPC and the AA assays (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP). The EC50 value, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) of the extracts at their optimal points were determined. The compounds extracted with 40% ethanol demonstrated higher inhibitory activity against the tested bacteria (MIC and MBC) and better values of EC50. The HPLC analysis showed that among all phenolic acids identified and quantified, ferulic acid was the major component. Therefore, the compounds extracted from the Bd plant, through the optimum extraction points determined by the FFD, present potential for industrial application.

Antioxidant Potential of Grass Pea Seeds from European Countries.

Phenolic compounds were extracted from seeds of 30 varieties of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) into 80% (v/v) methanol. The total phenolics compounds content of the extracts and their antioxidant activity were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu’s phenol reagent and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods, respectively. Total phenolic contents ranged from 1.88 to 7.12 mg/g extract and 20.3 to 70.3 mg/100 g seeds. The extracts and seeds were characterized using Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity values of 0.015–0.037 mmol Trolox/g extract and 0.158–0.372 mmol Trolox/100 g seeds, and FRAP values of 0.045–0.120 mmol Fe2+/g extract and 0.487–1.189 Fe2+/100 g seeds. The total phenolics content of grass pea extract was correlated with the results of the ABTS (r = 0.881) and FRAP (r = 0.781) assays. The same correlation was observed between the results of both assays (r = 0.842). Two derivatives of p-coumaric acid were the dominant phenolic compounds of the Derek cultivar of grass pea.