Antioxidant Activity of Pomegranate Juice and Punicalagin

Plant polyphenols are reported to have bioactive properties, which may be used for protection against diseases. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the antioxidant activities of a pomegranate tannin polyphenol compound, punicalagin and pomegranate juice. The presence of punicalagin in pomegranate husk (US) and pomegranate juice (US & UK) was compared with a punicalagin standard using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) which are highly sensitive and selective analytical methods for the separation and identification of phenolic compounds and anthocyanins. Antioxidant mechanisms involving DPPH radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, ferrous chelating and reducing ability were also studied on pomegranate juice and standard punicalagin. The present study shows a high degree of similarity of HPLC and LC-MS results between the punicalagin commercial standard (Sigma Aldrich) and US pomegranate husk extracted with methanol. In contrast, in the methanol juice extract obtained from US and UK, higher hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity was achieved by 0.1 mg/ml from both punicalagin and pomegranate juice when compared with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) or trolox (p ≤ 0.01). Punicalagin and pomegranate juice exhibited ferrous chelating ability significantly lower than Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. These findings confirmed that punicalagin was present in pomegranate husk compared to pomegranate juice, as measured using a punicalagin standard. The antioxidant mechanism experiments concluded that, the pomegranate juice has a significantly higher radical scavenging activity in comparison with punicalagin (p ≤ 0.01). However, punicalagin showed significant ferrous chelating activity and reducing power ability in a dose-dependent manner as compared with pomegranate juice.

Effect of different sources and levels of iron in the diet of sows on iron status in neonatal pigs

This study was conducted to determine the effects of maternal dietary supplementation of ferrous glycine chelate(Fe-Gly) and ferrous sulfate monohydrate(FeSO_4·H_2O) on the relative organ weight, tissue iron contents, red blood cells(RBC), hemoglobin concentration(HGB) and hematocrit(HCT) in blood, as well as ferritin(Fn), serum iron(SI), and total iron binding capacity(TIBC) in serum of newborn piglets.Forty-five sows(Landrace × Large white, mean parity 3 to 4, no significant differences in BW) were randomly allotted to 9 treatments(n=5 sows/treatment): control(basal diet with no Fe supplementation), the basal diet supplemented with 50, 80, 110 or 140 mg Fe/kg as Fe-Gly, and the basal diet supplemented with 50, 80, 110 or 140 mg Fe/kg as FeSO_4·H_2O.The neonatal piglets(n=45) were used to determine the relative organ weight, tissue iron contents and blood biochemical indices.Compared with the control, the relative weight of spleen and kidney were significantly increased(P < 0.05) in the Fe-Gly groups.The iron contents in liver,spleen, kidney and femur were also found increased(P < 0.05) in the Fe-Gly groups.The RBC(d 1 and 21),HGB(d 1 and 21) and HCT(d 1 and 21) in blood and Fn(d 1) and SI(d 1 and 21) significantly increased(P < 0.05), but the TIBC(d 1 and 21) in serum decreased(P < 0.05) in the Fe-Gly groups.Moreover, the kidney relative weight, iron content in liver, spleen, kidney and femur, RBC(d 1) and HGB(d 21) in blood, and SI(d 1)in the Fe-Gly groups increased(P < 0.05) compared with the FeSO_4·H_2O treatment.Linear and quadratic responses of the kidney relative weight, the iron content in liver, spleen, kidney and femur, RBC(d 1 and 21),HGB(d 1 and 21) and HCT(d 1 and 21) in whole blood, SI(d 1) and TIBC(d 1 and 21) in the Fe-Gly groups were observed(P < 0.05).Linear responses of Fn(d 1 and 21) and SI(d 21) in the Fe-Gly groups, and spleen relative weight, HCT(d 1), Fn(d 1) and TIBC(d 1 and 21) in the FeSO_4·H_2O groups were observed(P < 0.05).These finding suggest that Fe-Gly supplemented at the level of 110 mg/kg in the diet of sows in this experiment is superior to other forms of supplementation, based on HGB concentration, the relative organ weight, tissue iron contents and blood biochemical indices of piglets.

Antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities in commercial and homemade pomegranate molasses in Lebanon

Pomegranate fruit and its derived products are rich sources of bioactive compounds.They have many biological activities.Pomegranate molasses(PM)is a thick,traditional Middle Eastern syrup used in many recipes for Lebanese and international cuisines.It is a highly nutritious product which makes it of great interest.The purpose of this study was to assess the phytochemical composition,antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of homemade and commercial PM consumed in Lebanon using samples collected from households in rural areas(n=4)and the market(n=28).The objectives of this study were to determine their total phenolic content using the Follin-Ciocalteu method,their total flavonoid content using aluminum chloride method,their antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging as well as ferrous ion chelating assays and their anti-diabetic activity usingα-amylase andα-glucosidase inhibitory activities with acarbose,a known anti-diabetic drug,used as the standard reference.Homemade PM samples exhibited a higher antioxidant activity than commercial samples,with the most active homemade PM sample having IC_(50)values of 0.09 mg/mL(DPPH radical scavenging assay)and 46.78%ferrous ion chelating assay).Homemade PM samples also showed higher anti-diabetic activity than commercial samples,with the most active homemade PM sample having an IC_(50)values of 0.63 mg/mL(α-amylase inhibitory activity)and of 0.41 mg/mL(α-glucosidase inhibitory activity)and being almost as active as acarbose with both enzymes(1.5 times).Significant inverse strong/moderate correlations were observed between total phenolic content/total flavonoid content and the IC_(50)value of DPPH radical scavenging assay,indicating positive associations between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity.In addition,significant negative moderate correlations were observed between total phenolic/flavonoid contents andα-amylase inhibitory activity,indicating positive associations between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and anti-diabetic activity.