Cladonia lichens and their major metabolites as possible natural antioxidant,antimicrobial and anticancer agents

The aim of this study is to investigate in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities of the acetone extracts of the lichens Cladonia furcata, Cladonia pyxidata and Cladonia rangiferina and their atranorin and fumarprotocetraric acid constituents. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by free radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, reducing power, and determination of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds. As a result of the study atranorin had largest free radical scavenging activity with IC₅₀ values 131.48 μg/mL. Moreover, the tested samples had effective reducing power and superoxide anion radical scavenging. Total content of phenol and flavonoid in extracts was determined as pyrocatechol equivalent, and as rutin equivalent, respectively. The strong relationships between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant effect of tested extracts were observed. The antimicrobial activity was estimated by determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration by the broth microdilution method. The most active was fumarprotocetraric acid with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 0.031 to 0.125 mg/mL. Anticancer activity was tested against FemX (human melanoma) and LS174 (human colon carcinoma) cell lines using MTT method. All samples were found to be strong anticancer activity toward both cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 10.97 to 41.23 μg/mL.     

Antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer activities of three Parmelia species

BACKGROUND: Lichens are symbiotic organisms consisting of algae and fungi. They are used for human and animal nutrition and in the production of colours, perfumes and alcohol. Lichens have also been used in traditional medicine to treat diseases such as jaundice, pulmonary, stomach and cranial diseases. In this study the acetone extracts of three lichens, Parmelia caperata, Parmelia sulcata and Parmelia saxatilis, were tested for their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer potential. RESULTS: Of the lichens tested, P. saxatilis had the highest free radical‐scavenging activity (55.3% inhibition). Moreover, all tested extracts showed effective reducing power and superoxide anion radical scavenging. Strong relationships between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant effects of the tested extracts were observed. The extract of P. sulcata was most active in terms of antimicrobial ability, with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 0.78 to 12.5 mg L^?1. All extracts were found to have strong anticancer activity, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 9.55 to 22.95 µg mL^?1. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that the tested lichen extracts exhibited strong antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer effects. This suggests that lichens may be used as possible natural antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer agents. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Antioxidant activities of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) pericarp and seed extracts

In this study, we examined the antioxidant activities of red pepper (Capsicum annuum, L.) pericarp and red pepper seed extracts. The extracts were evaluated by various antioxidant assays, including 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, [2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid)] (ABTS) radical scavenging, ferrous chelating activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reducing power, along with the determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents. All the extracts showed strong antioxidant activity by the testing methods. The red pepper pericarp extract exhibited strong ferrous chelating activity and high scavenging activity against free radicals, including both the hydroxyl and DPPH radicals, but it exhibited weaker scavenging activity for the superoxide anion radical and for SOD. In contrast, the red pepper seed extract exhibited strong SOD activity and high scavenging activity against the superoxide anion radical, but showed weaker ferrous chelating activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and DPPH radical scavenging. We observed that the reducing power level and ABTS radical scavenging activity of the red pepper seed were higher than those of the red pepper pericarp at the highest tested concentration. Most of the test results for the red pepper seed and red pepper pericarp extracts increased markedly with increasing concentration; however, the metal chelating, SOD and ABTS radical scavenging activities did not increase with the concentration. Highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents were obtained from the red pepper pericarp extracts. Overall, the red pepper seed and red pepper pericarp extracts were highly effective for the antioxidant properties assayed, with the exceptions of ferrous chelating activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging and SOD activity.     

Antioxidant,Antimicrobial, Antifungal,and Antiradical Activities of Cyclotrichium Niveum (BOISS.) Manden and Scheng

In Turkish kitchen, Cyclotrichium niveum, which is consumed as a dietary supplement, have been extensively used in soup and food for their odor and flavor. The present study examines the possible antioxidant, antimicrobial and radical scavenging capacity of Cyclotrichium niveum (Boiss.) Manden and Scheng. In order to evaluate antioxidant and radical scavenging activity different in vitro methodologies such as 2,2´-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH·) free radical scavenging, total antioxidant activity by ferric thiocyanate, total reducing power by potassium ferricyanide reduction method, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and ferrous ions chelating activities were used. In addition, antimicrobial and antifungal activity of the both extracts tested against twenty five microorganisms. Total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids contents in water extract of Cyclotrichium niveum (Boiss.) Manden. & Scheng (WECN) and ethanol extract of Cyclotrichium niveum (Boiss.) Manden. & Scheng (EECN) were determined.     

Compositions, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Helichrysum (Asteraceae) species collected from Turkey

The methanolic extracts of 16 Helichrysum species were investigated for their in vitro antioxidant, radical scavenging and antimicrobial activities. All the extracts showed strong antioxidant and radical scavenging activity. The highest total antioxidant capacity as ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE) of 194.64 mg/g dry extract was obtained for Helichrysum noeanum in the phosphomolybdenum assay. The highest IC₅₀ value (7.95 μg/ml) was observed for the extract of Helichrysum stoechas subsp. barellieri in the DPPH assay. The total phenolic contents of the extracts ranged from 66.74 to 160.63 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry extract. The major component present in the extracts was identified as chlorogenic acid followed by apigenin-7-glucoside and apigenin by HPLC analysis. All the extracts showed significant antimicrobial activity against microorganisms containing 13 bacteria and two yeasts in the agar diffusion method.     

Antioxidant Activities and Phenolic Compounds of Several Tissues of Pawpaw (Asimina triloba [L.] Dunal) Grown in Korea

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba [L.] Dunal) possesses antioxidant compounds and strong inhibitors of cancer cells, and is widely cultivated in North America, Canada, and Korea. We analyzed the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC, respectively) of pawpaw plants grown in Korea and the antioxidant activities of their roots, twigs, leaves, and fruit with respect to 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl‐hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 2,2′‐azino‐bis diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, ferrous (Fe²⁺) chelating ability, and nitrite scavenging activity. Pearson's correlation analyses revealed a linear correlation between TPC and antioxidant activities (r² >0.69). Root methanol extracts had higher TPC and antioxidant activities than other extracts, which was also consistent with those from the phenolic compounds found in those extracts. Therefore, antioxidant activities seem to depend on the TPC of each pawpaw tissue and pawpaw roots might be useful as a natural source of natural antioxidants.     

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Polygonum cognatum Meissn extracts

The antioxidant activities, reducing powers, 2,2‐diphenyl‐l‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical‐scavenging activities, total phenolic compound contents and antimicrobial activities of ether, ethanol and hot water extracts of Polygonum cognatum Meissn were studied in vitro. The highest antioxidant activity was found in the water extract. However, there were no statistically significant differences among 15 µg ml^?1 extract‐containing samples in linoleic acid emulsion (0.02 M , pH 7.0) during 120 h of incubation (P > 0.05). The reducing power of the water extract was the highest, but its reducing power was markedly lower than that of ascorbic acid. The highest DPPH radical‐scavenging activity was found in the water extract, with 50% DPPH radical scavenging at a concentration of 100 µg ml^?1 dried water extract, while at the same concentration of dried ethanol extract the value was 12%. Surprisingly, no DPPH radical‐scavenging activity was observed in the ether extract. The concentrations of phenolic compounds found were 0.48, 0.50 and 0.01 µg ml^?1 gallic acid equivalent in 10 µg ml^?1 water, ethanol and ether extracts respectively. The ether and ethanol extracts showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. The water extract did not show antimicrobial activity against the studied micro‐organisms. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Anticancer,antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of anemone (Anemone cathayensis)

This study was performed to evaluate the anticancer, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of fractions and isolated compounds from anemone (Anemone cathayensis). Fourteen compounds were isolated from extracts. Anticancer activities of fractions and compounds were determined by MTT assay, and all tested fractions showed inhibition activity on human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231). The fraction 6 displayed the strongest anticancer activity, and inhibition percent was 50.32%. The antioxidant effect of fractions was evaluated by using DPPH scavenging assays. Fraction 5 had a higher DPPH radical scavenging activity with low IC₅₀ value of 30.578 μg/mL. The antimicrobial activity of the fractions was evaluated against 3 microorganisms using the agar well diffusion method. The fractions also showed moderate antimicrobial activity. These results suggest that anemone could hold a good potential source for human health.     

Chemical composition and biological activities of essential oil and extracts from Ocimum sanctum

The objective of the present research work was to evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial and antimalarial activities of essential oil and various extracts from O. sanctum. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis identified the following major compounds with their quantification as: eugenol (22.0%), β-elemene (19.2%), β-caryophyllene (19.1%), and Germacrene D (5.03%). HPLC analysis of O. sanctum extracts revealed that gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-hydroxy benzoic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumeric acid, sinapic acid, and ferulic acid were the important phenolic acids. The methanol extract exhibited highest level of total phenolic (1.36 g/100 g dry plant material) and total flavonoid (0.67 g/100 g dry plant material) followed by ethanol and n-hexane extracts. The oil and extracts exhibited excellent free radical scavenging potential as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical free radical-scavenging ability, and antioxidant activity as measured by inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation. Essential oil, n-hexane, methanol, and ethanol extracts exhibited moderate antimalarial potential in term of anti-haem biocrystallization activity. In the resazurin microtitre plate and disc diffusion assays, the essential oil of O. sanctum showed better antibacterial activity than various extracts. The results of the present investigation demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) variations in the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antimalarial activities of essential oil and extracts from O. sanctum.     

Phenolic composition,antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of free and bound phenolic extracts of Moringa oleifera seed flour

Phenolic compounds, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of defatted Moringa oleifera seed flour (DMF) were investigated. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured using colorimetric methods. Free phenolic acid and flavonoid profiles were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography, while antioxidant capacities were evaluated using scavenging assays of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power and total antioxidant capacity. The results showed that extractability of phenolic compounds was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in bound phenolic extract (4173.00 ± 32.22 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g) than in free phenolic extract (780.00 ± 14.2 mg GAE/100 g) and it showed higher antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The IC₅₀ value for DPPH radical scavenging activity was 0.9 ± 0.05 and 14.9 ± 0.07 mg/mL for bound phenolic and free phenolic extracts, respectively. Bound phenolic extract was more effective (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), 0.06–0.157%) than free phenolic extract (MIC, 0.117–0.191%) against tested bacteria. Ten phenolic compounds (gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid, cinnamic acid, catechin, epicatechin, vanillin and quercetin) were identified and quantified in both extracts. These natural plant phenolics from Moringa seeds could be a good source of antioxidants and antibacterials for food and pharmaceutical industries.     

Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of mango (Mangifera indica L.) flesh and peel

The antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of flesh and peel of mango (Mangifera indica L.) were investigated. The cytoprotective effect of mango flesh and peel extracts on oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂ in a human hepatoma cell line, HepG2, were determined, and the underlying mechanism was examined by a single-cell electrophoresis assay (comet assay). Treatment of HepG2 cell with mango peel extract prior to oxidative stress was found to inhibit DNA damage. The free radical scavenging activities of mango flesh and peel extracts were evaluated by electron spin resonance (ESR). The mango peel extract exhibited stronger free radical scavenging ability on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and alkyl radicals than mango flesh extract, regardless of ripeness. Similarly, peel extract exhibited significant antiproliferative effect against all tested cancer cell lines, compared to that of flesh extract, in a dose-dependent manner. The result also showed that the antiproliferative activity of mango flesh and peel extracts correlated with their phenolic and flavonoid contents. Thus, mango peel, a major by-product obtained during the processing of mango product, exhibited good antioxidant activity and may serve as a potential source of phenolics with anticancer activity.     

In vitro antioxidant activities of methanol extracts of five Phyllanthus species from India

In this study, the antioxidant activity of methanol extracts of five plants from the genus Phyllanthus was evaluated by various antioxidant assays, including total antioxidant, free radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, reducing power and metal ion chelating activities. The various antioxidant activities were compared to standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene and ascorbic acid. All the extracts showed strong antioxidant activity in all the tested methods. Among the five plants Phyllanthus debilis has been found to possess the highest activity in all tested models, the activity decreased in the order Phyllanthus debilis>Phyllanthus urinaria>Phyllanthus virgatus>Phyllanthus maderaspatensis>Phyllanthus amarus. In addition to the antioxidant activity of these plants, the total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and flavonols were measured in the extracts. A correlation between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content was observed.     

Antioxidant activities and anticancer effects of red yeast rice grown in the medium containing garlic

The effects of culture time on antioxidant and anticancer activities of red yeast rice-garlic (RYRG) ethanol extracts were investigated. RYRG is a product of red yeast rice (Monascus pilosus) grown in medium containing garlic for 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of RYRG extracts were increasing with the length of culture periods. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity of RYRG extracts also increased with culture time. The RYRG extracts prevented brain lipid peroxidation in culture time dependent manner. The RYRG extracts showed anti-proliferative effects against HepG2 human liver cancer cells, HT-29 human colon cancer cells, and B16F10 murine melanoma cells. The IC₅₀ value of 8-week fermented RYRG extract was the lowest among sample groups. Therefore, the results indicated that RYRG extracts exhibit culture time-dependent antioxidant and anti-cancer activities associated with the increase on phenolic and flavonoid contents. The RYRG extract is therefore a promising candidate as chemopreventive agents.     

Free radical scavenging, angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory, and in vitro anticancer activities of ramie (Boehmeria nivea) leaves extracts

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antioxidant activity, angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, and anticancer activity of ramie (Boehmeria nivea) leaves (RL). The RL was extracted with 70%(v/v) ethanol (RLE) and fractionated with the solvents of hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, and aqueous. The ethylacetate fraction (EF) contained the highest phenolic contents of 651.65 mg/g, followed by RLE of 148.72 mg/g. The EF showed strong 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, superoxide radical scavenging activity, and hydroxyl radical scavenging with a 50% inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) of 0.097, 0.129, and 0.191 mg/mL, respectively. The ACE-inhibitory activity of EF was 80.32% at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL. The EF showed growth-inhibitory effect of 67.21% at 0.25 mg/mL on the LoVo cell line, and 56.08% at 0.25 mg/mL on the NCI-H460 cell line, respectively. Therefore, it was suggested that the RL were potential materials for use as functional food and medicine.     

Chemical,antioxidant and antibacterial study of Brazilian fruits

In this study, the antioxidant capability, total phenolic content and antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of seven fruits from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest were evaluated. The conditions for the extraction of crude phenolics from the fruits were determined using an experimental factorial design. Total phenolic content, 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH^?) scavenging activity and β‐carotene‐linoleic acid couple oxidation assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of the extracts. In addition, antimicrobial activity was screened using two Gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and one Gram‐positive bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus). All native fruits assayed in this study have high potential as natural antioxidant sources. Among the seven fruits evaluated, Jabuticaba and Uvaia had the highest antioxidant activity in the DPPH^? and of β‐carotene‐linoleic acid coupled oxidation assays. In the biological assay, K. pneumoniae was the most sensitive microorganism to the fruit extracts, and the Jabuticaba extract had a slight inhibitory effect against this Gram‐positive bacterium.     

Antioxidant Capacity and Phenolic Content of the Aqueous Extract of Commonly Consumed Cucurbits

The antioxidant capacity of commonly consumed cucurbits vegetable was determined by the DPPH, FRAP, Fe³⁺ reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. The aqueous extract of Luffa cylindrica showed the highest value of phenolic content and antioxidant capacity based on FRAP, Fe³⁺ reducing power, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. However, Laginaria siceraria extract showed the highest flavonoid and DPPH scavenging activities among all three cucurbits used in this study. Phenolic content in aqueous extracts of Luffa cylindrica and Laginaria siceraria was almost equal. Cucurbita maxima exhibited the lowest phenolic, flavonoid content, and exhibited the lowest power of antioxidant scavenging. The antioxidant capacity of cucurbits was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with the phenolic content of their extracts. The antioxidant capacity of Luffa cylindrica and Laginaria siceraria have also shown a significant correlation (P < 0.05).     

不同豇豆中酚类含量与抗氧化活性

为深入了解豇豆的营养价值,以11个不同品种的豇豆样品为原料,对其总酚含量、总黄酮含量及抗氧化活性(总还原能力、1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,DPPH)自由基清除能力、·OH清除能力)进行分析,并讨论酚类物质含量及抗氧化活性的相关性。结果表明,不同品种的豇豆酚类物质含量和抗氧化活性差异显著。在测定的样品中,新杂1号表现出最高的总酚含量(5.59 mg GAE/g)、总黄酮含量(4.12 mg CAE/g)及抗氧化活性(总还原能力和DPPH自由基清除能力);豇豆中总酚含量、总黄酮含量与总还原能力、DPPH自由基清除能力之间有极显著相关性(P0.01),与·OH清除能力之间没有显著相关性。     

丝瓜花不同溶剂提取物抗氧化活性及其酚类成分分析

以无水乙醇、70%乙醇、40%乙醇和水分别对丝瓜花进行提取,并测定各提取物中总酚、总黄酮含量,采用DPPH·清除能力、超氧化物自由基清除能力、FRAP抗氧化能力和亚铁离子螯合能力等方法评价其抗氧化活性,通过HPLC分析其中酚类成分。结果表明,70%和40%乙醇提取物总酚及总黄酮含量较高,而且DPPH·清除活性、FRAP还原力最强,40%乙醇提取物、水提物分别具有最强的超氧阴离子自由基清除活性和亚铁离子螯合能力。总酚含量与DPPH·清除活性之间存在较强的相关性(R²=0.8688)。HPLC分析检出提取物中9种酚类化合物,其中含量最高的为杨梅素。试验结果说明,70%乙醇、40%乙醇可能是丝瓜花抗氧化性物质提取的较好溶剂。结果表明丝瓜花是一种较好的抗氧剂资源。     

Optimization of the Process Parameters to Establish the Quality Attributes of DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity,Total Phenolic Content,and Total Flavonoid Content of Apple (Malus domestica) Honey Using Response Surface Methodology

The response surface methodology was used to study the combined effect of temperature (60 to 80°C), time (10 to 15 min), and pH (3 to 6) on the antioxidant activity (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl-radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content) of apple honey. Statistical analysis revealed that all the responses were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by independent process variables. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content increased with the increase in time and temperature due to the formation of browning pigments. The antioxidant properties of apple honey significantly (p < 0.05) decreased with increase in pH from 3 to 6. The thermal treatment of apple honey at 80°C was found to be more effective than at 70 and 60°C. The average increase in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content of raw apple honey due to combined effect of three process variables was 9.6% ± 1.9, 13.7 ± 2.5 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g and 49.3 ± 3.3 mg quercetin/100 g, respectively. The results showed that the most desirable optimum conditions for temperature, time and pH for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (92.39%), total phenolic content (133.55 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g of honey), and total flavonoid content (25.82 mg quercetin/100 g of honey) were 80°C, 15 min and 3.01, respectively. The results demonstrated that thermal treatment significantly increased the antioxidant activity of apple honey.     

Antioxidant activity and phenolic composition of sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) extracts

Antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of sumac extracts were investigated. Sumac was extracted in methanol and subjected to solvent–solvent partitioning to yield two fractions as ethyl acetate and aqueous. Methanol extract was further fractioned over Sephadex LH-20 column. Antioxidant activity of extracts and fractions were screened using ferric thiocyanate and DPPH radical scavenging methods. Phenolic composition of active fraction(s) was determined by HPLC–MS systems. Those fractions which exhibited strong antioxidant activity were rich in anthocyanins and hydrolysable tannins. While gallic acid was the main phenolic acid in the extracts, anthocyanin fraction contained cyanidin, peonidin, pelargonidin, petunidin, and delphinidin glucosides and coumarates. Pentagalloyl glucose was abundant in the hydrolysable tannin fraction. Effective scavenging concentration (EC₅₀) on DPPH radical was 0.70 μg/mL both in ethyl acetate and tannin fractions, and 5.33 μg/mL in anthocyanin rich fraction. Same extracts and fractions showed moderate lipid peroxidation inhibition effect compared with the synthetic antioxidants. The findings demonstrate that sumac can be used as a natural antioxidant.