Promising Source Of Antioxidants Research Articles

Effects of Different Solvents on the Total Phenol Content, Total Flavonoid Content, Antioxidant, and Antifungal Activities of Micromeria graeca L. from Middle Atlas of Morocco.

Micromeria graeca L. is a dense chemical source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, which have various health-related properties. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of different extractor solvents on phenol and flavonoid contents, as well as the antioxidant and antifungal activities of different extracts. Initially, three extractor solvents (methanol, ethyl acetate, and water) were used to prepare the Soxhlet extracts, which were then examined for their polyphenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant potential using three complementary assays (DPPH, FRAP, and TAC). The antifungal capacity against the two fungal strains (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger) was performed using the method of diffusion on disc. The dosage of phytochemical compounds revealed that the highest values were established in water extract with values of 360 ± 22.1 mg GAE/g dry weight plant and 81.3 ± 21.2 mg RE/g dry weight plant for TPC and TFC, respectively. In addition, the strongest antioxidant activity measured by DPPH and FRAP assays was established in water extract with IC50 values of 0.33 ± 0.23 and 0.23 ± 0.12 mg/mL, respectively, while the methanol extract showed the best antioxidant activity as measured by TAC with an IC50 of 483 ± 17.6 mg GAEq/g dry weight plant. The water extract recorded the most important antifungal activity against Candida albicans with an inhibition zone of 16 ± 1.6 mm and MFC = 500 μg/mL, whereas ethyl acetate extract showed the lowest activity against both studied fungi strains. Micromeria graeca L. contains considerable amounts of bioactive contents with high antioxidant and antifungal potentials, which may make it a promising source of antioxidants and natural antifungal agents.

Apoptosis-inducing anti-proliferative and quantitative phytochemical profiling with in silico study of antioxidant-rich Leea aequata L. leaves

Natural products have been important parts of traditional medicine since ancient times, with various promising health effects. Leea aequata (L. aequata), a natural product, has been widely used for treating several diseases due to its promising pharmacological activities. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the phytochemical profiling and molecular docking of the antioxidant-rich part of L. aequata leaves and its antiproliferative activity. L. aequata leaves were extracted with methanol, followed by fractionation with the respective solvents to obtain the petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and aqueous fractions. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by spectrophotometric methods. The cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities were detected using MTT colorimetric and confocal microscopy methods, respectively. Phytochemical compositions were analyzed using gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry analysis. Computer aided (molecular docking SwissADME, AdmetSAR and pass prediction) analyses were undertaken to sort out the best-fit phytochemicals present in the plant responsible for antioxidant and anticancer effects. Among the fractions, the ethyl acetate fraction was the most abundant polyphenol-rich fraction and showed the highest antioxidant, reducing power, and free radical scavenging activities. Compared to untreated MCF-7 cells, ethyl acetate fraction-treated MCF-7 cells showed an increase in apoptotic characteristics, such as membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, and nuclear fragmentation, causing apoptosis and decreased proliferation of HeLa and MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, gas chromatography mass spectrometry data revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction contained 16 compounds, including methyl esters of long-chain fatty acids, which are the major chemical constituents. Moreover, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester; 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester; 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester (Z, Z) and phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) are known to have antioxidant and cytotoxic activity, as confirmed by computer-aided models. A strong correlation was observed between the antioxidant and polyphenolic contents and the anticancer activity. In conclusion, we explored the possibility that L. aequata could be a promising source of antioxidants and anticancer agents with a high phytochemical profile.

Phenolics from Chilean Bee Bread Exhibit Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties: The First Prospective Study.

Bee bread (BB) is a beehive product generated upon fermentation of pollen combined with flower nectar and glandular secretions. The potential application of BB is related to its nutritional and functional components, including phenolic compounds. This is the first prospective study on palynological parameters, phenolics, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity of Chilean bee bread in vitro. The tested material exhibited high levels of phenolics (1340±186 mg GAE/100 g BB) and showed antioxidant capacity as determined by the FRAP (51±2 μmol Trolox equivalent/g BB) and ORAC-FL (643±64 μmol Trolox equivalent/g BB) and antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pyogenes. Furthermore, the phenolic acids and flavonoids was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the concentration was determined using liquid chromatography with diode array detection. Kaempferol, quercetin, ferulic acid, and rutin were the main phenolics found. This study demonstrates the bioactive potential of Chilean BB and supports the evidence that this bee product is a promising source of antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds.

Effect of extraction methods on phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activity of de-kernelled Sclerocarya birrea seeds.

Marula (Sclerocarya birrea) is an indigenous African fruit-bearing tree with many commercial uses; however, de-kernelled seeds generated from marula fruit-processing are wasted. The phytochemical constituents of de-kernelled marula seeds have not been investigated previously and its extract/tea may potentially serve as a promising source of antioxidants and phytochemicals. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different extraction methods (maceration and decoction) on the recovery of phenolic compounds, sugars, organic acids, and antioxidants from de-kernelled marula seeds. Extracts produced from decoction for 30 min contained the highest phenolic content (2253.93 ± 25.72 mg gallic acid equivalent kg-1 extract), flavonoid content (1020.99 ± 23.90 mg rutin equivalent kg-1 extract), as well as combined sugars and organic acids (1884.03 mg kg-1 extract). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups typically present in phenolic compounds, sugars, and organic acids in the extracts obtained from decoction. The characterization revealed that decoction extraction increased solubility, variety, and yield of phytochemical and antioxidant compounds recovered from de-kernelled marula seeds. The highest concentrations of phytochemicals were obtained using the decoction method. This study may therefore pave the way for extract composition and future utilization of de-kernelled marula seeds in the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Qualitative phytochemical analysis, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities in stems and leaves of Vanilla planifolia (Orchidaceae)

Vanilla planifolia, commonly known as vanilla orchid, is an epiphytic plant native to Mexico. This plant is used in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its flavour and antioxidant properties. Vanilla bean is becoming more expensive due to current market demand. Consequently, less than 1% of the vanillin used in the market is derived naturally from vanilla plants. The present study was conducted to identify the phytoconstituents and the antioxidative activities (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) in the stems and leaves of V. planifolia collected from Temerloh, Pahang. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, cardiac glycoside, carbohydrate and reducing sugar in both V. planifolia stems and leaves. Vanilla stem contains more ascorbic acid (94.49±2.92 µg/mL) and carotenoids (2.61±0.08 µg/mL) as compared to that of leaves (71.79±2.05 µg/mL and 0.82±0.07 µg/mL, respectively). However, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in α-tocopherol concentration. Enzymatic activities showed that ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) were more distinct in leaves while more peroxidase (POD) activities were observed in the stems. High concentrations of phytochemical elements with high antioxidant activities in stems and leaves showed that V. planifolia is a promising source of antioxidants.

Effects of ohmic heat processing and ascorbic acid on antioxidant compounds and colour of red‐fleshed dragon (Hylocereus polyrhizus) fruit juice during storage

SummaryRed‐fleshed dragon fruit is a promising source of antioxidants and natural colour compounds. This study examined the effects of ohmic heating (OH) and ascorbic acid addition on total phenolic content (TPC), betacyanin (BC), antioxidant activity and colour changes in the juice during storage. The juice was treated from 20 to 85 °C and stabilised at 85 °C for 60 s by OH at 60 Hz and 30 V cm−1. The treated samples were stored at 4 °C in dark bottles for 8 weeks, and BC, TPC, antioxidant activity and colour were determined weekly. After 1 week of storage, there was no degradation of TPC or BC (P > 0.05). However, after 8 weeks of storage, BC decreased by 47%, TPC decreased by 60% and antioxidant activity decreased by 39% in the OH juice. The colour changes of the juice during the 8‐week storage period were strongly correlated with the BC (r (correlation coefficient) > 0.98). A comparison of the OH process with conventional heating (CH) showed that OH resulted in less degradation to BC, TPC and antioxidant activity than CH. OH is a suitable technology for processing red‐fleshed dragon fruit juice. Adding 0.25% AA to the juice helped reduce changes in colour, BC, TPC and antioxidant activity (P < 0.05).

Jellyfish Peptide as an Alternative Source of Antioxidant

Jellyfish is a valuable biological resource in marine ecosystems, and blooms been observed in numerous coastal regions. However, their utility is limited by their high water content. Recent research has focused on extracting antioxidants from marine sources. In this study, we obtained jellyfish peptides (JPHT-2) through enzymatic hydrolysis of lyophilized jellyfish powder under optimal conditions and measured their antioxidant activity. Our findings indicate that JPHT-2 possesses significant radical-scavenging activity and reducing power. At a concentration of 0.74 mg/mL, JPHT-2 exhibited a remarkable ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals, with a rate of up to 50%. The EC50 values for scavenging superoxide anion and DPPH radical were 1.55 mg/mL and 1.99 mg/mL, respectively. At the cellular level, JPHT-2 was able to protect HaCaT cells from H2O2-induced oxidative damage by increasing the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in cells. In conclusion, jellyfish peptides with low molecular weight can be easily obtained through hydrolysis with three enzymes and exhibit excellent antioxidant activity and safety. Jellyfish can serve as a promising source of antioxidants.

DEVELOPMENT AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF WOOD APPLE JELLY CONTAINING IMMOBILIZED LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS

People nowadays prefer functional food products that have health benefits beyond their nutritional benefits. Fruit-based products with additional benefits of probiotics are also gaining popularity worldwide. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and sensory properties of wood apple jelly infused with probiotic microbes. Firstly, different solvent extracts of wood apple pulp were tested for total phenol, flavonoid, and antioxidant activities. Wood apple pulp and sugar were used to prepare control jelly (WAJ). The experimental jelly (PWAJ) was prepared similarly with addition of immobilized L. acidophilus. The pH, titratable acidity, colour, texture, total phenol, flavonoid, total antioxidant capacity and sensory characteristics of WAJ and PWAJ were analysed using standard methods. The methanolic extract of wood apple pulp showed significantly (P<0.05) higher total phenol, flavonoid, DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant as compared to acetone and aqueous extract. There was no significant difference in pH, titratable acidity, colour, texture, total phenol, flavonoid, DPPH radical scavenging activity, or ferric reducing antioxidant capacity between WAJ and PWAJ. The sensory quality of both the jellies was stable during the storage period of one month except for flavour which was significantly reduced after 15 days. The probiotic count in PWAJ was 7.18 log CFU at zero day and did not change significantly up to 15 days. In conclusion, wood apple is a promising source of antioxidants. Incorporating probiotic organisms in wood apple jelly was found to be acceptable and can be used as a functional food.

Mineral composition, content of phenolic compounds and in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of aqueous and organic extracts of the seeds of Peganum harmala L.

Peganum harmala L. is well known as a traditional therapy in Morocco. The objective of this study was to determine the mineral composition for the first time, the chemical profile and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Peganum harmala L. seeds. The aqueous extracts were prepared by three modalities: decoction, infusion and maceration, while the organic extracts methanolic, ethyl acetate, chloroformic and petroleum ether were obtained by Soxhlet, and the methanolic macerated extract by cold maceration. Phytochemical screening was conducted on both the seed powder and the extracts prepared from it. Similarly, the content of phenolic and flavonoid products was determined. In addition, antioxidant activity was evaluated by five different methods: H2O2, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and PR. The correlation between chemical composition and antioxidant activity was evaluated using PCA. Finally, the antibacterial activity by the disc diffusion method, minimal inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) concentrations of the organic extracts were evaluated against six gram-positive and gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. The results obtained showed that the seeds of Peganum harmala L. are characterized by a particularly high content of potassium (111.6200 mg/l) and iron (64.4080 mg/l). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins. The methanolic macerated extract is the richest in polyphenol (94.37 ± 0.62 µg GAE/mg E) and the ethyl acetate extract in flavonoids (366.13 ± 1.88 µg QE/mg E). Petroleum ether and aqueous infusion extracts have the strongest percentages of H2O2 inhibition (21.02±1.13% and 21.02±1.07%) which is greater than that of ascorbic acid (14.35±0.002%) with a significant difference. Ethyl acetate extract showed the best activity by the DPPH (IC50= 146.20±13.41 µg/ml) and ABTS (49.84±1.15 µg TE/mg E) tests, methanolic macerate by the FRAP test (68.04±1.52 µg TE/mg E) and the methanolic extract by the reducing power test (61.77±1.41 µg AAE/mg E). The antioxidant activity determined by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and PR showed a positive correlation between the 4 tests, and with the content of polyphenols and flavonoids with the exception of the activity measured by H2O2, where the correlation is negative. The study of the antibacterial effect showed that the four organic extracts: methanolic, methanolic macerate, ethyl acetate and chloroform have an inhibitory effect on six microorganisms with inhibition zones that vary between 8 ± 0.00 and 23.7 ± 2.60 mm, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most sensitive strain with an inhibition zone diameter of 23.7 ± 2.60 mm with the methanolic macerate extract, while the petroleum ether extract showed no effect. In addition, the MICs obtained range from 1.56 to 12.5 mg/ml and the MBCs vary from 1.56 for Proteus mirabilis with ethyl acetate extract to 100 mg/ml. In conclusion, polar organic extracts of Peganum harmala L. are a promising source of antioxidants and antibacterial agents and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the four methods ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and PR are correlated with each other and that the antioxidant capacity of the extracts is related to their content of total polyphenols and flavonoids. This activity can also be related to the mineral composition of the plant, such as copper, manganese, zinc, which are considered an important class of antioxidants.

Fabricação de cerveja artesanal enriquecida com physalis liofilizada: uma fonte promissora de antioxidantes

Abstract The craft beer segment has been driving the beverage market due to the many different formulation possibilities. Among craft beers, fruity beers provide the consumer with flavors previously unknown. In this sense, cape gooseberry is a tropical fruit known for its unique flavor, whose production is seasonal, which makes it difficult to use throughout the year. One possibility of incorporating cape gooseberry into fruity beers is to subject the fruit to freeze-drying, ensuring a constant stock of pulp. The present study aimed to produce a craft beer added with freeze-dried cape gooseberry, to add mineral compounds, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity to the final beverage. Three beer formulations with different concentrations of freeze-dried cape gooseberry (20, 40, and 60 g/L) were produced and characterized. The results showed that the addition of the fruit directly influenced the physicochemical parameters pH, Total Titratable Acidity (TTA), Total Soluble Solids (TSS), alcoholic concentration, color, bitterness, real extract, primitive extract, and turbidity. In addition, the beers with freeze-dried cape gooseberry showed an increase in the content of some minerals, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity. Thus, the addition of cape gooseberry is a good option to improve the functional characteristics of the beer, providing a differentiated product.

Antioxidants Characterization of the Fruit, Juice, and Pomace of Sweet Rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia L.) Cultivated in Estonia.

This study aimed to identify promising candidates of rowanberry cultivars for a wider cultivation and utilization. Antioxidant properties and phenolic content were evaluated for fruit, juice, and pomace samples of 16 different sweet rowanberry cultivars (cvs) and wild rowanberry (S. aucuparia L.), while the antioxidant potential was assessed using three different methods, based on the capacity to scavenge ABTS●+ and DPPH● and measure the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). In general, the radical scavenging capacity was higher for hybrid cultivars, e.g., for cvs Likernaja, Burka, Granatnaja, and Rubinovaja in all assays. The highest value in the ABTS●+ assay was determined for the fruit sample Likernaja, and in DPPH● assay in the pomace sample of cv. Likernaja, at 527.55 and 1068.28 µM TE/g dw, respectively. The highest ORAC value was found in the fruit sample of Burka (456.53 µM TE/g dw). Among the Nevezhino rowans, the highest radical scavenging values of all fractions were determined in cv. Solnechnaja. Regarding the total phenolic content (TPC), higher values were obtained in the whole fruits than in separated fractions, juice, and pomace. The tested hybrids had higher TPC values, either in fruit and pomace or in juice extracts, than those in the other analyzed S. aucuparia L. cultivars. While the fruit and juice samples showed higher anthocyanin (ACY) values, the pomace samples had higher hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA) contents on average. The results revealed that the different fractions of selected rowanberry cultivars can be a promising source of antioxidants and polyphenols for further potential applications. It is envisaged that the results of this study will serve in valorizing sweet rowanberry cultivars as value-added functional ingredients for food and non-food applications.

UVB Radiation Protective Effect of Brown Alga Padina australis: A Potential Cosmeceutical Application of Malaysian Seaweed

Marine natural products are a good source of antioxidants due to the presence of a wide range of bioactive compounds. Accumulating evidence proves the potential use of seaweed-derived ingredients in skincare products. This study aims to evaluate the ultraviolet (UV) protective activity of the ethanol and water extracts of Padina australis. As the preliminary attempt for this discovery, the total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were measured, followed by the in vitro antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing the power to shed light on its bioactivity. The UVB protective activity was examined on HaCaT human keratinocyte cells. The findings of this study reveal that the P. australis ethanol extract serves as a promising source of antioxidants, as it exhibits stronger antioxidant activities compared with the water extract in DPPH and the reducing power assays. The P. australis ethanol extract also demonstrated a higher level of total phenolic (76 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid contents (50 mg QE/g). Meanwhile, both the ethanol (400 µg/mL) and water extracts (400 µg/mL) protected the HaCaT cells from UVB-induced cell damage via promoting cell viability. Following that, LCMS analysis reveals that the P. australis ethanol extract consists of sugar alcohol, polysaccharide, carotenoid, terpenoid and fatty acid, whereas the water extract contains compounds from phenol, terpenoid, fatty acid, fatty alcohol and fatty acid amide. In summary, biometabolites derived from P. australis have diverse functional properties, and they could be applied to the developments of cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical products.

Multifunctional compounds in the extract from mature seeds of Vicia faba var. minor: Phytochemical profiling, antioxidant activity and cellular safety in human selected blood cells in in vitro trials

BackgroundThe field bean (Vicia faba) is a valuable fodder plant of the Fabaceae family, grown as a main crop for its seed yield. Its phytochemical profile is characterized by the presence of a range of compounds with various biological activities. PurposeThe present study investigates the phytochemical profile of the extract from mature seeds of Vicia faba var. minor and examines its impact on preventing oxidative damage to various lipids, protein and DNA molecules in vitro. MethodsHuman plasma was treated with H2O2/Fe (an OH. donor) to induce oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, and the plant extract was then added. As oxidative stress may influence the biological activity of plasma, e.g. coagulation, and influence cardiovascular disease, the study also examined the effect of the plant extract on coagulation and monoamine oxidase activity (MAO, EC 1.4.3.4). ResultsThe tested extract exerted a protective effect on plasma lipids and proteins treated with H2O2/Fe. However, while it appears to effectively protect the DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from oxidative damage, it did not induce changes in the coagulation process, and significantly reduced MAO activity when applied at 1, 5, and 10 µg/mL. It is possible that the observed antioxidant potential may be due to the complex chemical composition of the extract: the phytochemical profile demonstrated a range of phenolic compounds, including catechins. ConclusionOur findings indicate that extract from mature seeds of V. faba var. minor may be a promising source of antioxidants in multiple applications, including diseases associated with oxidative stress; however, more studies based on in vitro and in vivo models are needed to determine its biological properties.

Promising Sources of Antioxidants from Herbs and Spices: A Review

Herbs and spices are rich sources of potent antioxidants. For over 2000 years, herbs and spices are used in every kind of treatment in TIM (Traditional Indian Medicine) and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), as flavoring, coloring, and fragrance agents. Herbs and spices have various kinds of bioactive constituents which are potential and promising sources of antioxidants. The herb’s and spice’s history is as old and long as the history of mankind. The antioxidants in herbs and spices are very much effective because they have excellent antioxidant activity. In recent times it is an increase in the interest for the recognition, identification of antioxidants compounds that are well-potentiate and have nominal or very much fewer side effects. This interest in growing and it is under various projects at a global level. This study provides some details on the most popular and most widely used herbs and spices and explains their antioxidant properties. Therefore, using herbs and spices is a safer option than using synthetic antioxidants, which have become prevalent and broadly acceptable by consumers.

In vitro study of the antioxidant activity of extracts from dried biomass of callus, cell suspension, and root cultures

The most promising sources of antioxidants are plant objects that contain natural antioxidants such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and vitamins. The paper studies the antioxidant activity of extracts from dried biomass of callus, suspension cell cultures, and root cultures in vitro. The study of the antioxidant activity of plant extracts showed that the maximum antioxidant activity (250.6 mg AA/g) is possessed by extracts from the dried biomass of in vitro hyssop root cultures. According to this indicator, extracts from dried biomass of hyssop hairy exceed extracts from dried biomass of Amur maakia root cultures by 2.23 times, and extracts from dried biomass of Siler root cultures by 5.61 times. Extracts from the dried biomass of in vitro callus, cell suspension, and root cultures of Siler do not possess high antioxidant activity, which varies from 16.56 to 44.66 mg AA/g. The maximum indicator of antioxidant activity for this medicinal plant is observed in extracts from dried biomass of in vitro root cultures. For extracts from dried biomass of in vitro callus, cell suspension and root cultures of Amur maakia, the range of antioxidant activity indices is from 85.40 mg AA/g to 112.33 mg AA/g. The maximum antioxidant activity was observed in extracts from dried biomass of in vitro root cultures. A higher accumulation of anthocyanins was also found in the callus culture of Malus sieversii f. niedzwetzkyana cultured on a nutrient medium containing both auxins and cytokinins.

Antioxidant activity and cytotoxic effect of Chilean Buddleja globosa (Matico) and Ribes magellanicum (Zarzaparrilla) flower extracts

The native Chilean shrubs Buddleja globosa (Matico) and Ribes magellanicum (Zarzaparrilla) are used widely at a rural level, due to their medicinal properties. Nevertheless, little is known about their secondary metabolites and cytotoxic effect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of different compounds like catechin, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid and the antioxidant capacity by ABTS, ORAC, FRAP and DPPH methods. In addition, the cytotoxic activity of both extracts was evaluated against Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cell lines by MTT and neutral red assays. The results suggest that the most abundant constituent in Budleja globosa and Ribes magellanicum were catechin (682.43 mg/100 g DW) and epicatechin (3362.08 mg/100 g DW) respectively; while the ORAC methodology showed an elevated antioxidant activity for Matico (134147.31 μmol Trolox Eq/100 g DW). On the other hand, both extracts at the assayed concentrations affect the membrane stability and cellular metabolic capacity of the CHO-K1 cell lines. These finding provide a direction for further researches, and suggest the Matico and Zarzaparrilla flower extracts as promising sources of antioxidants, and as research objects through the analyze of their metabolic behavior and antitumoral potential.

Antioxidant contents in potato cultivars from the collection of Russian Potato Research Center

Antioxidants protect not only plants, but also humans from oxidative stress. Plant antioxidants include phenolic compounds: phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and vitamin C. Potatoes are one of the most consumed crops in the world and can serve as a promising source of antioxidants in the human diet. The aim of the study was to compare secondary low-molecular-weight antioxidants (ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, total antioxidant content) in 15 cultivars of potatoes with pigmented and white pulp ( Solanum tuberosum L.) to identify genotypes having increased antioxidant activity. The research was conducted in 2019, a week after harvesting. Plants were grown on sod-podzolic soils in the fields of Federal Scientific Vegetable Center. Analysis of the total content of soluble phenolic compounds showed that almost all the studied varieties contained significantly more phenolic compounds in the skin than in the pulp. The maximum level of phenolic compounds was found in Monarkh (purple pulp) and Vympel (light yellow pulp) - 69.33 mg/100 g and 67.93 mg/100 g of fresh mass, respectively. The highest amount of flavonoids was observed in Zhukovsky ranniy (white pulp) and Tayfun (white pulp) - 12.49 mg/100 g and 11.06 mg/100 g of fresh mass, respectively. The highest content of ascorbic acid was determined in Gala (dark yellow pulp) - 15.84, Golubizna (white pulp) and Red Scarlett (yellow pulp) - 14.08 mg%. The maximum total content of hydrophobic antioxidants was found in Zhukovsky ranniy (white pulp) - 0.38 mg. eq. HA/g and Red Scarlett (yellow pulp) - 0.37 mg. eq. HA/g.

Phytochemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Aerial and Underground Parts of Salvia bulleyana Diels. Plants.

Plants have been used for medical purposes since ancient times. However, a detailed analysis of their biological properties and their associated active compounds is needed to justify their therapeutic use in modern medicine. The aim of the study was to identify and quantify the phenolics present in hydromethanolic extracts of the roots and shoots of the Chinese Salvia species, Salvia bulleyana. The qualitative and quantitative analyses were carried out by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry detection (UHPLC-PDA-ESI-MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) detection. The extracts of S. bulleyana were also screened for their antioxidant activity using ferric ion (Fe3+) reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), diammonium 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) cation (ABTS), superoxide radical anion (O2•–), and inhibition of lipid peroxidation assays. The S. bulleyana extracts were found to contain 38 substances, of which 36 were phenols, with a total level of 14.4 mg/g DW (dry weight) in shoots, and 23.1 mg/g DW in roots. Twenty-eight phenols were polyphenolic acids or their derivatives, the most abundant in shoots being rosmarinic acid, and in roots, salvianolic acid K followed by rosmarinic acid. The other major phenolic acids were caffeic acid, caffeoyl-threonic acids, isomers of lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid F, salvianolic acid B, and yunnaneic acid E. In addition to polyphenolic acids, nine flavonoids were detected in the shoot extract. While both extracts showed significant antioxidant activity, the shoot extract, containing both polyphenolic acids and flavonoids, demonstrated a slightly greater antioxidant potential in some of the anti-radical tests than the roots. However, the root extract proved to be slightly more effective in the lipid peroxidation inhibition test. Thus, S. bulleyana was demonstrated as a promising source of antioxidants, and worthy of further more detailed studies.

HPLC-FRAP methodology and biological activities of different stem bark extracts of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp

Cajanus cajan. (L.) Millsp. (C. cajan) (Family: Fabaceae) also known as pigeon pea, is a famous food and cover/forage crop bearing a high amount of key amino acids (methionine, lysine and tryptophan). This study investigated into the total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant [2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2 -azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (phosphomolybdenum) and metal chelating] activities and enzyme [α-amylase, α-glucosidase, tyrosinase, acetyl-(AChE), butyryl-(BChE) cholinesterase] inhibitory effects of four extracts (methanol, hexane, ethyl acetate, aqueous) prepared from C. cajan stem bark. Direct identification of antioxidants was also conducted using the high performance liquid chromatography-ferric reducing antioxidant power (HPLC-FRAP) system. The highest TPC and TFC were recorded with the methanolic (23.22 ± 0.17 mg GAE/g) and ethyl acetate extracts (19.43 ± 0.24 mg RE/g), respectively. The methanolic extract exhibited important antioxidant activity with DPPH (38.41 ± 0.05 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g), ABTS (70.49 ± 3.62 mg TE/g), CUPRAC (81.86 ± 2.40 mg TE/g), FRAP (42.96 ± 0.59 mg TE/g) and metal chelating (17.00 ± 1.26 mg ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid equivalent/g). p-coumaric and caffeic acid were the predominant antioxidants in the samples. Results from enzymatic assays showed the potential abilities of hexane extract in inhibiting the AChE, BChE, α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. From the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that C. cajan can be considered as a promising source of antioxidants and key enzyme inhibitors that can be exploited for future bioproduct development.

Polysaccharides from pineapple core as a canning by-product: Extraction optimization, chemical structure, antioxidant and functional properties

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) technique has been investigated to extract polysaccharides from pineapple core as a by-product using response surface methodology. A Box–Behnken design was employed to optimize the conditions for the maximum extraction yield of polysaccharides. The results demonstrated that the optimum extraction conditions were as follows: water/solid material ratio of 29.5 mL/g, extraction temperature of 66.3 °C and extraction time of 46.7 min. Under these conditions, the extraction yield of pineapple core polysaccharides (PCPs) was 16.7%. The structure of PCPs was analyzed by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), SEM (scanning electron microscope) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results of thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the PCPs had a good thermal stability at temperatures below 250 °C. The extracted polysaccharides had a porous structure with rough surface. The extracted polysaccharides had strong scavenging activities on DPPH and hydroxyl radicals. Furthermore, they demonstrated interesting water-holding and fat-binding capacities (3.11 and 4.25 g/g, respectively). The results revealed that polysaccharides displayed good emulsifying and foaming properties. Overall, the findings suggest that PCPs are a promising source of antioxidants and may have potential applications in functional food industries.