The use of medicinal plants as therapeutic and economic resources has been on the rise in recent years. In Brazil, however, increasing doubt is being cast on the quality of these products, owing to the prevalence of a...The use of medicinal plants as therapeutic and economic resources has been on the rise in recent years. In Brazil, however, increasing doubt is being cast on the quality of these products, owing to the prevalence of adulteration and fraud. Solar radiation can cause serious damage to human skin, as a result, mostly, of ultraviolet light, which is a cause of skin cancer. Photoprotective substances are capable of absorbing, reflecting, or refracting ultraviolet radiation and thus protecting skin from exposure to sunlight. The present study aimed to characterize samples and examine the phytochemical profile and photoprotective potential of bark and leaves of Erythrina velutina Willd. The samples underwent five extraction methods using 80% ethanol. The phenolic content was measured using spectrophotometry. Antioxidant activity was examined using the DPPH and the photoprotective properties of the plant extracts were assessed using the method developed by Mansur. There was a quantitative difference in some groups of metabolites, with higher levels of tannin in the bark and of flavonoids in the leaves. The latter showed greater DPPH free radical scavenging capacity than the bark, although higher levels of SPF were obtained from the bark, with no statistically significant differences between methods. The results indicate that Erythrina velutina Willd. has potential as a photoprotector.展开更多
Background:Exploring natural sources to identify new active ingredients for cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical applications is of interest to many researchers.Methods:Flavonoid-rich extracts from dark Ficus carica peels...Background:Exploring natural sources to identify new active ingredients for cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical applications is of interest to many researchers.Methods:Flavonoid-rich extracts from dark Ficus carica peels were investigated in the present study.Extracts were prepared from the peels of four dark cultivars(Bakor Noir,Bouankik,Azenjer and Tazegaght)using acidified methanol.The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated by the agar well diffusion assay followed by the minimal inhibitory concentration determination using the microdilution method against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria and two fungi.Cosmeceutical properties were evaluated by measuring antioxidant activity,ultraviolet absorption characteristics and sun protection factor values.The antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured using aβ-carotene-linoleic acid system.The toxicity of the extracts was assessed using a brine shrimp lethality assay.Results:The extracts contained high amounts of phenolic compounds(3.85–8.63 g/100 g),mainly flavonoids(up to 5 g/100 g).Multiple antibacterial activities were recorded against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria,with the best actions against Bacillus subtilis(minimal inhibitory concentration=156.25µg/mL),Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(minimal inhibitory concentration=312.5µg/mL),but no antifungal activity was recorded.Azenjer extract showed high inhibition of lipid oxidation evaluated by theβ-carotene bleaching assay with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 88.84µg/mL.All extracts showed absorption peaks in the ultraviolet range and Azenjer and Tazegaght extracts at 25 mg/mL presented sun protection factor values>15.The brine shrimp toxicity assay results revealed lethal concentration of 50%values greater than 2,000µg/mL,indicating the safety of the extracts.Conclusion:Therefore,Ficus carica peel extracts could be considered original ingredients with potential applications in the formulation of antibacterial drugs and skincare products.展开更多
文摘The use of medicinal plants as therapeutic and economic resources has been on the rise in recent years. In Brazil, however, increasing doubt is being cast on the quality of these products, owing to the prevalence of adulteration and fraud. Solar radiation can cause serious damage to human skin, as a result, mostly, of ultraviolet light, which is a cause of skin cancer. Photoprotective substances are capable of absorbing, reflecting, or refracting ultraviolet radiation and thus protecting skin from exposure to sunlight. The present study aimed to characterize samples and examine the phytochemical profile and photoprotective potential of bark and leaves of Erythrina velutina Willd. The samples underwent five extraction methods using 80% ethanol. The phenolic content was measured using spectrophotometry. Antioxidant activity was examined using the DPPH and the photoprotective properties of the plant extracts were assessed using the method developed by Mansur. There was a quantitative difference in some groups of metabolites, with higher levels of tannin in the bark and of flavonoids in the leaves. The latter showed greater DPPH free radical scavenging capacity than the bark, although higher levels of SPF were obtained from the bark, with no statistically significant differences between methods. The results indicate that Erythrina velutina Willd. has potential as a photoprotector.
文摘Background:Exploring natural sources to identify new active ingredients for cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical applications is of interest to many researchers.Methods:Flavonoid-rich extracts from dark Ficus carica peels were investigated in the present study.Extracts were prepared from the peels of four dark cultivars(Bakor Noir,Bouankik,Azenjer and Tazegaght)using acidified methanol.The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated by the agar well diffusion assay followed by the minimal inhibitory concentration determination using the microdilution method against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria and two fungi.Cosmeceutical properties were evaluated by measuring antioxidant activity,ultraviolet absorption characteristics and sun protection factor values.The antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured using aβ-carotene-linoleic acid system.The toxicity of the extracts was assessed using a brine shrimp lethality assay.Results:The extracts contained high amounts of phenolic compounds(3.85–8.63 g/100 g),mainly flavonoids(up to 5 g/100 g).Multiple antibacterial activities were recorded against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria,with the best actions against Bacillus subtilis(minimal inhibitory concentration=156.25µg/mL),Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(minimal inhibitory concentration=312.5µg/mL),but no antifungal activity was recorded.Azenjer extract showed high inhibition of lipid oxidation evaluated by theβ-carotene bleaching assay with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 88.84µg/mL.All extracts showed absorption peaks in the ultraviolet range and Azenjer and Tazegaght extracts at 25 mg/mL presented sun protection factor values>15.The brine shrimp toxicity assay results revealed lethal concentration of 50%values greater than 2,000µg/mL,indicating the safety of the extracts.Conclusion:Therefore,Ficus carica peel extracts could be considered original ingredients with potential applications in the formulation of antibacterial drugs and skincare products.
