Factors Influencing the Effects of Theabrownin in Pu-erh Tea on Scavenging DPPH Radicals

[Objective] This study aimed to explore factors influencing the effects of theabrownin in Pu-erh tea on scavenging DPPH radicals. [Method] Taking Pu-erh tea as main research object, theabrownin in Pu-erh tea from tea piles with different times of mixture, stored for different years and processed by both the old and new techniques were extracted and isolated. And DPPH method was used to study the effects of theabrownin solution and tea liquor on scavenging radicals and their antioxidant activity. [Result] The result showed that the theabrownin content in Pu-erh tea from tea piles with one to four times of mixture revealed a first declining and subsequently rising trend. Under different pH conditions, the rates of DPPH radical scavenging of 1 mg/ml theabrownin solution made from tea piles with different times of mixture decreased gradually with the increase of pH, and all the rates were lower than that of the control vitamin C solution; the rates of DPPH radical scavenging of theabrownin from tea samples stored for different years and produced by different techniques dropped slowly within pH range 3.0-6.0; when pH was higher than 6.0, the rates of DPPH radical scavenging of theabrownin from tea samples produced by both new and traditional techniques in 2001 declined obviously, while the declining trend was not obvious in either the black tea or the Pu-erh tea produced by new technique in 2005. Under different theabrownin concentrations, the rates of DPPH radical scavenging of theabrownin solution made from tea piles with different times of mixture ascended as the concentration increased and the highest rate occurred in tea pile with four times of mixture, reaching up to 46.56%±0.88%; for tea samples stored for different years and produced by different techniques, the rates of DPPH radical scavenging of theabrownin rose gradually with the increase of the theabrownin concentration; the rate of radical scavenging of theabrownin in the black tea ascended obviously and that in Pu-erh tea was decreasing within the concentration range of 0.04 -0.06 mg/ml. At pH6.0, the DPPH radical scavenging ability of theabrownin in 0.1 mg/ml theabrownin solution and tea liquor containing 0.1mg/ml theabrownin from tea piles with different times of mixture ascended with the time of mixture; solution made from tea samples produced by different techniques in different years, the DPPH radical scavenging ability of theabrownin solution and tea liquor followed： Pu-erh tea produced by the new technique in 2001 ﹥ Pu-erh tea produced by the old technique in 2001﹥ Pu-erh tea produced by the new technique in 2005. And the DPPH radical scavenging ability of theabrownin in tea liquor containing 0.1 mg/ml theabrownin was higher than that in 0.1 mg/ml theabrownin Solution made from tea samples either with different times of mixture or produced by different techniques in different years. The above results indicated that many factor influenced the effects of theabrownin on eliminating DPPH radicals, including the time of fermentation, fermentation technique, years of storage, concentration and pH all had great influence on the effects of theabrownin on eliminating radicals. To ensure a good effect on scavenging radicals, it is better to prepare theabrownin at pH6.0 with concentration between 0.08 and 0.1 mg/ml for drinking. [Conclusion] Results of this study provide a basis for developing functional products of theabrownin from Pu-erh tea in the future.

Radical Scavenging Ability of Soymilk Fermented with Compound Lactic Acid Bacteria towards DPPH Free Radical

The DPPH scavenging ability of soymilk fermented with lactic acid bacteria under different fermentation conditions were investigated in this paper. According to the result, the optimal combination of starter species was S. thermophilus, L. plantarum and L. helveticus at a ratio of 2∶1.5∶1.5. The optimal fermentation parameters were temperature of 37 ℃, solids content of 12% and fermentation time of 6 h.Under above conditions, the fermented soymilk showed the highest ability to scavenge DPPH free radicals（84.3%）. Besides, the radical scavenging ability of fermented soymilk was compared with that of Baiyu lactone soymilk and bean curd which were coagulated by chemical method. The result indicated that the scavenging rate of lactone bean curd of Baiyu lactone soymilk and bean curd was only32.1% and 23.2%. According to the comparison, the free radical scavenging ability of soymilk was significantly improved by lactic acid fermentation. This product which had no beany flavor would be beneficial to human health.

Comparison of DPPH Scavenging Ability of Flavonoid and Polysaccharide from Dandelion ( Taraxacum mongolicum)

The paper was to study DPPH （1,1-diphenyl-2-trinitrobenzene hydrazine） scavenging ability of different concentrations of tlavonoid and polysaccheride from dandelion. Flavonoids were extracted from dandelion using alcohol precipitation ultrasonic extraction method and polysaccharide was extracted using water ul- trasonic extraction method. DPPH free radical scavenging ability of flavonoid and polysaccharide was determined using ultravialet spectrophotometer method. The difference in DPPH free radical scavenging ability between flavonoids and polysacchafide was analyzed statistically. The results showed that DPPH scavenging ability was the best when the concentration of flavanoid was 1.6 mg/mL; the scavenge rate was up to 96.11% and I Cso （median inhibitory concentration of inhibi^rs） was 0.38 mg/mL. DPPH scavenging ability was the best when the concentration of polysaccheride was 1.4 mg/mL; the scavenge rate was 89.33% and IC5o was 0.51 mg/mL. Statistical results showed that there were significant differences in DPPH free radical scavenging ability between dandelion flavonoid and polysaeoharide （P 〈 0.05 ）. Flavonoid had significantly higher scavenging ability than polysaccharide （P 〈 0.05）. The study lays a theoretical foundation for further research on dan- delion flavonoid, and provides a theoretical basis for development and utilization of dandelion resources.

Constituents from Aerial Parts of Bidens ceruna L. and Their DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity

A new chalcone glycoside, butein-4-methoxyl-4′-O-（6＂-O-acetyl）-β-D-glucopyranoside（2）, along with seven known compounds, namely, quercitrin（1）, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside（3）, butein-4＇-O-β-D-glucopyranoside（4）, butein-4-methoxyl-4＇-O-β-D-glucopyranoside（5）, butin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside（6）, isoquercitrin（7）, and sulfurein（8） was isolated from aerial parts of Bidens ceruna L. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic studies. Compounds 1-8 were tested for their DPPH radical scavenging activity and, except compounds 2 and 5, other compounds showed scavenging activitv.

DPPH Radical Scavenging Capacity of Phenolic Extracts from African Yam Bean (<i>Sphenostylis stenocarpa</i>)

The phenolic extracts of the seeds of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) were studied using different extraction solvents (70% ethanol, 80% acetone and acidic 70% acetone) and two heat treatment methods (dry heating on a hot plate with acid-washed sea sand at 135℃ for 25 min and wet heating in an autoclave at 120℃ for 20 min). The study examined the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and condensed tannin content (CTC) of the seed extracts, as well as their free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties. The raw African yam bean seed was dry heated in air oven at 100℃ for 5 min (control). Heat treatments application affected the phenolic contents of the seeds significantly (p < 0.05). The free radical scavenging activity of the phenolics were done using 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The effectiveness of the extract was determined using DPPH at 50 mg/g, 10 mg/g and 5 mg/g of the extracts. At 5 mg/g, the extract was most effective indicating that higher concentration of extract gave higher antioxidant activity. The seed has high antioxidant capacity and an appreciable amount of phenolic extracts.

Experimental investigation on effective aerosol scavenging using different spray configurations with pre-injection of water mist for Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning

During the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant,it is important to consider the retrieval of resolidified debris both in air and underwater configurations.For the subsequent retrieval of debris from the reactor building,the resolidified debris must be cut into smaller pieces using various cutting methods.During the cutting process,aerosol particles are expected to be generated at the submicron scale.It has been noted that such aerosols sizing within the Greenfield gap(0.1-1μm)are difficult to remove effectively using traditional spraying methods.Therefore,to improve the aerosol removal efficiency of the spray system,a new aerosol agglomeration method was recently proposed,which involves injecting water mist to enlarge the sizes of the aerosol particles before removing them using water sprays.In this study,a series of experiments were performed to clarify the proper spray configurations for effective aerosol scavenging and to improve the performance of the water mist.The experimental results showed that the spray flow rate and droplet characteristics are important factors for the aerosol-scavenging efficiency and performance of the water mist.The results obtained from this study will be helpful for the optimization of the spray system design for effective aerosol scavenging during the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Stabilizing High-Nickel Cathodes via Interfacial Hydrogen Bonding Effects Using a Hydrofluoric Acid-Scavenging Separator

Nickel-rich layered Li transition metal oxides are the most promising cathode materials for high-energydensity Li-ion batteries.However,they exhibit rapid capacity degradation induced by transition metal dissolution and structural reconstruction,which are associated with hydrofluoric acid(HF)generation from lithium hexafluorophosphate decomposition.The potential for thermal runaway during the working process poses another challenge.Separators are promising components to alleviate the aforementioned obstacles.Herein,an ultrathin double-layered separator with a 10 lm polyimide(PI)basement and a 2 lm polyvinylidene difluoride(PVDF)coating layer is designed and fabricated by combining a nonsolvent induced phase inversion process and coating method.The PI skeleton provides good stability against potential thermal shrinkage,and the strong PI-PVDF bonding endows the composite separator with robust structural integrity;these characteristics jointly contribute to the extraordinary mechanical tolerance of the separator at elevated temperatures.Additionally,unique HF-scavenging effects are achieved with the formation of-CO…H-F hydrogen bonds for the abundant HF coordination sites provided by the imide ring;hence,the layered Ni-rich cathodes are protected from HF attack,which ultimately reduces transition metal dissolution and facilitates long-term cyclability of the Ni-rich cathodes.Li||NCM811 batteries(where“NCM”indicates LiNi_(x)Co_(y)Mn_(1-x-y)O_(2))with the proposed composite separator exhibit a 90.6%capacity retention after 400 cycles at room temperature and remain sustainable at 60℃with a 91.4%capacity retention after 200 cycles.By adopting a new perspective on separators,this study presents a feasible and promising strategy for suppressing capacity degradation and enabling the safe operation of Ni-rich cathode materials.

Enterococcus faecalis provides protection during scavenging in carrion crow (Corvus corone)

The gut microbiota significantly influences host physiology and provides essential ecosystem services.While diet can affect the composition of the gut microbiota,the gut microbiota can also help the host adapt to specific dietary habits.The carrion crow(Corvus corone),an urban facultative scavenger bird,hosts an abundance of pathogens due to its scavenging behavior.Despite this,carrion crows infrequently exhibit illness,a phenomenon related to their unique physiological adaptability.At present,however,the role of the gut microbiota remains incompletely understood.In this study,we performed a comparative analysis using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing technology to assess colonic content in carrion crows and 16 other bird species with different diets in Beijing,China.Our findings revealed that the dominant gut microbiota in carrion crows was primarily composed of Proteobacteria(75.51%)and Firmicutes(22.37%).Significant differences were observed in the relative abundance of Enterococcus faecalis among groups,highlighting its potential as a biomarker of facultative scavenging behavior in carrion crows.Subsequently,E.faecalis isolated from carrion crows was transplanted into model mice to explore the protective effects of this bacterial community against Salmonella enterica infection.Results showed that E.faecalis down-regulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α),interferon gamma(IFN-γ),and interleukin 6(IL-6),prevented S.enterica colonization,and regulated the composition of gut microbiota in mice,thereby modulating the host’s immune regulatory capacity.Therefore,E.faecalis exerts immunoregulatory and anti-pathogenic functions in carrion crows engaged in scavenging behavior,offering a representative case of how the gut microbiota contributes to the protection of hosts with specialized diets.

Control of the Dust Vertical Distribution over Western Africa by Convection and Scavenging

Saharan dust represents more than 50%of the total desert dust emitted around the globe and its radiative effect significantly affects the atmospheric circulation at a continental scale.Previous studies on dust vertical distribution and the Saharan Air Layer(SAL)showed some shortcomings that could be attributed to imperfect representation of the effects of deep convection and scavenging.The authors investigate here the role of deep convective transport and scavenging on the vertical distribution of mineral dust over Western Africa.Using multi-year(2006-2010)simulations performed with the variable-resolution(zoomed)version of the LMDZ climate model.Simulations are compared with aerosol amounts recorded by the Aerosol Robotic Network(AERONET)and with vertical profiles of the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization(CALIOP)measurements.LMDZ allows a thorough examination of the respective roles of deep convective transport,convective and stratiform scavenging,boundary layer transport,and advection processes on the vertical mineral dust distribution over Western Africa.The comparison of simulated dust Aerosol Optical Depth(AOD)and distribution with measurements suggest that scavenging in deep convection and subsequent re-evaporation of dusty rainfall in the lower troposphere are critical processes for explaining the vertical distribution of desert dust.These processes play a key role in maintaining a well-defined dust layer with a sharp transition at the top of the SAL and in establishing the seasonal cycle of dust distribution.This vertical distribution is further reshaped offshore in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)over the Atlantic Ocean by marine boundary layer turbulent and convective transport and wet deposition at the surface.

Protective Effects of Tea Polyphenol on Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats and Its Scavenging Oxy-radical and Anticerebral Lipid Peroxidation Effects

AIM To study the protective effects of tea polyphenol (TP) on cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats and its scavenging oxygen free radical(OFR) activities and antilipid peroxidation in vitro . METHODS Cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury was produced by bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries with vagus nerves and reperfusion for 45 min. The mitochondrial lipid peroxidation of rat brain induced by oxygen free radical was measured by thiobarbituric acid spectrophotometry. Superoxide anion (O 2) from xanthine xanthine oxidase system and hydroxyl radical (·OH) from Fe 2+ -H 2O 2 system were determined with spectrophotometry. RESULTS During Cerebral ischemia reperfusion,TP improved the activities of superoxide dismutase ( P 【0 05), GSH peroxidase( P 【0 01) and catalase( P 【0 01), while decreasing the maiondialdchyde content in the brain( P 【0 05) and brain water content ( P 【0 01). Tea polyphenol possessed significantly scavenging effects on ·OH produced by Fenton reaction and O 2 produced by xanthine xanthine oxidase system (the IC 50 were 2 2 mmol·L -1 and 1 9 mmol·L -1 respectively). Tea polyphenol could significant inhibit the lipid peroxidation of cerbral mitochondrial membrane induced by ·OH in a concentration dependent manner. CONCLUSION The results indicate that tea polyphenol could protect the injury on cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats for OFR, these effects may be related to its scavenging effects on oxygen free radicals and antilipid peroxidant.

Extraction Storage and Qualitative Analysis of Free Radicals Scavenging Substances from Sweet Potato Leaves

[ Objective ] The research aimed to provide reference for the application of extracts from sweet potato leaves in anti-aging cosmetics. [ Method ] The extraction and storage conditions for free radicals scavenging substances from sweet potato leaves were optimized by orthogonal test and the bioactive components in extracts were investigated by correlation analysis. [ Result] Sweet potato leaves contain the bioactive substances scavenging DPPH free radical and hydroxyl free radical. Extracting solvent species is the most important factor that influencing extraction yield. The optimal extraction and storage conditions are as following： water as solvent, pH 8.0 of extracting liquid, storage at 25 ℃. There is a good positive linear relationship between the content of total phenols in sweet potato leaves and corresponding scavenging rates against both the DPPH free radical and hydroxyl free radical. For the content of total flavones in sweet potato leaves, just a correlation with scavenging rate against hydroxyl free radical shown in test. [ Conclusion] The phenols in ex- tracts could effectively scavenge both the DPPH free radical and hydroxyl free radical, whereas the flavones in extracts can only function on the hydroxyl free radical.

DFT Study on Molecular Structures and ROS Scavenging Mechanisms of Novel Antioxidants from Lespedeza Virgata

The molecular structure and radical scavenging activity of three novel antioxidants from Lespedeza Virgata, lespedezavirgatol, lespedezavirgatal, and lespedezacoumestan, have been studied using density functional theory with the B3LYP and BhandHLYP methods. The optimized geometries of neutral, radical cation, radical and anion forms were obtained at the B3LYP/6-31G（d） level, in which it was found that all the most stable conformations contain intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The same results were obtained from the MP2 method. The homolytic O-H bond dissociation enthalpy and the adiabatic ionization potential of neutral and anion forms for the three new antioxidants and adiabatic electron affinity and H-atom affinity for hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion radical, and hydrogen peroxide radical were determined both in gas phase and in aqueous solution using IEF-PCM and CPCM model with UAHF or Bondi cavity. The antioxidant activities and reactive oxygen species scavenging mechanisms were then discussed, and the results obtained from different methods are consistent. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities are consistent with the experimental findings of the compounds under investigation.

Study on Scavenging and Disconnecting Effects of Nitrosation Reaction by Extracts of Tetradium Ruticarpum and Glycyrrhizae

In order to investigate and compare the effects of Tetradium ruticarpum and Glycyrrhizae extracts in terms of scavenging sodium nitrite and inhibiting N-ni- troso compounds formation, the 1_9（3^3） orthogonal test was conducted to extract the active components. In addition, the capacities of scavenging sodium nitrite and of in- hibiting the N-nitroso compounds formation were measured to confirm the optimum condition of extracting. When the scavenging rate was considered as the main index, the maximum capacities of scavenging sodium nitrite by the extracts of Tetradi- urn ruticarpum and Glycyrrhizae were 0.836 5 and 0.558 0, respectively. Further- more, when the disconnection rate was considered as the main index, the maximum capacities of inhibiting the N-nitroso compounds formation by the extracts of Tetradi- urn ruticarpum and G/ycyrrhizae were 0.922 8 and 0.625 6, respectively. As a re- suit, the capacity of inhibiting nitrosation reaction by Tetradium ruticarpum was shown to be much stronger than G/ycyrrhizae, no matter the scavenging rate or the disconnection rate as the main index to be considered.

不同泉水对蓝靛果浆DPPH清除率的影响研究

以DPPH自由基清除率为指标,考察蓝靛果汁与4种瓶装泉水混合后样品液体外抗氧化活性受水质的影响及变化规律。结果表明,蓝靛果汁与泉水按比例混合后,其DPPH自由基清除率随果汁浓度变化出现一个最大值,最大DPPH自由基清除率为81.44%。受水中离子含量的影响,浓度在30%后会呈现下降趋势,其中具有显著相关的离子为Na离子和Ba离子。

HPLC-DPPH法评价雪松松针抗氧化活性成分

目的评价雪松松针抗氧化活性成分。方法以维生素C(VC)和没食子酸为阳性对照,采用高效液相色谱(HPLC)法测定1,1-二苯基-2-苦肼基(DPPH)溶液加入雪松松针抗氧化活性成分后DPPH峰面积的衰减情况,并通过计算DPPH自由基的清除率和半数抑制浓度(IC_(50)),来评价雪松松针3种有效部位及8个单体成分的抗氧化活性。采用Agilent Eclipse Plus-C_(18)(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm)为色谱柱,乙腈-水(62∶38,V/V)为流动相;检测波长为517 nm;流速为1.0 mL/min;柱温为25℃;进样量为20μL。结果雪松松针各有效部位清除DPPH自由基活性的能力大小依次为总黄酮>总多酚>总木脂素,IC_(50)分别为76.10、100.50、115.40μg/mL。与阳性对照比较,除山柰酚-3-O-β-D-葡萄糖苷外,7个单体化合物清除DPPH自由基活性的能力大小依次为二氢杨梅素>金丝桃苷>原儿茶酸>没食子酸>阿魏酸>杨梅素>山柰酚-3-O-(6″-O-E-阿魏酰基)-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷>VC>异鼠李素,IC50分别为16.50、19.40、23.73、27.24、32.10、32.20、47.60、93.20、297.20μg/mL。结论建立了HPLC-DPPH法用于评价雪松松针抗氧化活性;雪松松针具有较强的抗氧化活性,其中有效部位总黄酮、总多酚及单体成分二氢杨梅素、金丝桃苷等是具有开发前景的纯天然抗氧化剂。

Flavonoid content and radical scavenging activity in fruits of Chinese dwarf cherry(Cerasus humilis) genotypes

The Chinese dwarf cherry（Cerasus humilis（Bge.） Sok.） is a small shrub with edible fruits. It is native to northern and western China. This species was included as a medicinal plant in the ‘‘Chinese Pharmacopeia’’ and has emerged as an economically important crop for fresh fruit consumption, processing into juice and wine and nutraceutical products as well. To gain a better understanding of flavonoid biosynthesis and help develop value added products and better cultivars with greater health benefits, we analyzed total flavonoid content（TFC）, composition, and radical scavenging activities in fruit extracts of 16 Chinese dwarf cherry genotypes. Fruit peel TFC ranged from 33.5 to72.8 mg/g REáFW（RE： rutin equivalent, FW： fresh weight）while fruit flesh TFC ranged from 4.3 to 16.9 mg/g REáFW.An HPLC analysis revealed that fruit extracts contained 14 flavonoids with considerable variation in their profiles across genotypes. The most abundant flavonoids in most genotypes were proanthocyanidin B1（PA-B1）, proanthocyanidin B2（PA-B2）, phloretin 20-O-glucoside（PG）, and phloretin 20,40-O-diglucoside（PDG）. Principal component analysis showed that PG, PA-B1, and PA-B2 had large,positive factor loading values in the first principal component for each genotype. Increased scavenging activity of2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl（DPPH） radicals was apparent in genotypes ‘Nongda 4’, ‘Nongda 3’, ‘Nongda 6’,‘Wenfenli’, and ’10-32’, suggesting promising applications in the production of nutraceutical products. In summary, our results will aid in breeding, fruit processing, and developing medicinal uses of the Chinese dwarf cherry.

STUDIES ON FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY IN CHINESE SEAWEEDS PART I. SCREENING RESULTS

Antioxidants have attracted the attention of researchers due to their beneficial effects as free radical scavengers. Application of a stable free radical named 1,1 diphenyl 2 picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) to screen the free radical scavenging activity in 27 species of Chinese seaweed showed that 15 of them had significant activity in at least one of the organic solvent extracts. The most interesting seaweed species were Gelidium amansii, Gloiosiphonia capillaris, Polysiphonia urceolata, Sargassum kjellmanianum, Desmarestia viridis, and Rhodomela teres.

Component Analysis and Free Radicals Scavenging Activity of Physalis alkekengi L. Polysaccharide

A crude polysaccharide was extracted from Physalis alkekengi L. fruit. HPLC was used for the component analysis of the polysaccharide. The results indicate that Physalis alkekengi L. polysaccharide（PAP） was composed of rhamnose, xylose, arabinose, galactose, and glucose. Free radicals scavenging activity of PAP was studied through 3 free radicals scavenging tests. PAP exhibited high scavenging effects on OH and DPPH radicals, and both the scavenging rates were about 80%. The scavenging rate of O2^- radical was about 22%.

Antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging activities of Streptomyces sp.strain MJM 10778

Objective:To investigate the antioxidant activity of soil-borne aetinobacteria.Methods:The total phenolic contents,the level of antioxidant potential by DPPH radical scavenging activity,MO scavenging activity,and ABTS radical scavenging activity in ethyl acelale extract were determined.Results:The 16 S rDNA sequencing analysis revealed that Streptomyces sp.strain MJM 10778.which was isolated from Hambak Mountain.Korea,has 99.9% similarity to Streptomyces misionensis(S.misionenis) NBRC 13063.The physiological and the morphological test revealed that the strain MJM 10778 has different characteristics from the strain NBRC.13063.The entire antioxidant assay with the ethyl acelale extract displayed good radical scavenging activity.The IC_(50) values of the strain MJM 10778 extract on DPPH,.NO.and ABTS radicals were identified to he 92.8 μg/mL,0.02 μg/ml,and 134.9 μg/mL,respectively.The ethyl acetate extract of the strain MJM 10778 showed an 81.500% of cell viability at 100 μg/mL in Raw264.7cell viability assay.Conclusions:The results obtained suggesl that the ethyl acetate extract of Streptomyces sp.strain MJM 10778 could be considered as a potential source of drug for the diseases that is caused by free radicals with its anti-oxidant activities and low cytotoxicity.

Phytochemical screening and free radical scavenging activity of Citrullus colocynthis seeds extracts

Objective:To study the phytochemical screening of different extracts from Citrullus colocynthis(C.colocynthis)seeds extracts and to assess their antioxidant activity on the DPPH free radical scavenging.Methods:Phytochemical screening,total content of polyphenols and flavonoids of C.colocynthis seeds extracts,including a crude aqueous extract(E1),a defatted aqueous extract(E2),a hydromethanolic extract(HM),an ethyl acetate extract(EA)and a n-butanol extract(n-B)was carried out according to the standard methods and to assess their corresponding effect on the antioxidant activity of this plant.Results:None of these extracts contained detectable amount of alkaloid,quinone,antraquinone,or reducing sugar.Catechic tannins and flavonoids were abundant in E1,MM and EA,whilst terpenoids were abundantly present in E1 and n-B but only weekly in HM.Coumarins were found in E2,EA and n-B.Polyphenols,expressed as gallic acid equivalent,amounted,per 100 g plant matter,to 329,1002 and 150 mg in EA,HM an E1 respectively.Flavonoids,expressed as catechin equivalent,amounted.per 100 g plant matter to 620,241 and 94 mg in EA,HM and E1 respectively.Comparable values were found in n-B and E1,with lower values in E2.Quercetin,myricetin and gallic acid were found in the EA and HM extracts by thin layer chromatography,The antioxidative effect of these extracts yielded,when tested at a concentration of 2000μg/mL in a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay,a reducing percentage of 88.8%with EA,74.5%with HM and 66.2%with E1,and corresponding IC_(50)of 350,580and 500μg/mL as compared to 1.1μg/mL for ascorbic acid.Conclusions:These qualitative and quantitative analytical data document the presence in C.colocynthis extracts of such chemical compounds as flavonoids responsible for the antioxidant activity,as well as other biological activities of this plant.