Antioxidant Properties of Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia L.)

Bitter gourd is regarded as an antioxidant rich vegetable with beneficial properties for the circulatory, respiratory, digestive and nervous systems according to the Indian indigenous system of medicine. Several methods have been used to determine antioxidant activity of plants. The present study, therefore, involved four various established methods to evaluate anti oxidative activity of bitter gourd fruit, namely, total antioxidant capacity, DPPH radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and super oxide anion radical scavenging activity by using different types of solvents like petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol and methanol. The present study revealed that light green big sample had the highest DPPH activity with an IC50 value of 50.88 µg/ ml in methanol solvent. In the case of bitter gourd dried samples, highest DPPH activity with an IC50 value of 50.10 µg/ ml was reported in light green big type. The hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of light green big was found to be highest both in the case of fresh and dried bitter gourd samples with an IC50 values of 50.95 µg/ml and 50.10 µg/ml respectively. Light green small sample showed higher superoxide anion radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 50.36 µg/ ml in fresh samples and 49.76 µg/ ml in dried samples, in solvents like petroleum ether and acetone respectively. Antioxidant activity ranged with an IC50 value of 50.09 µg/ml to 61.90 µg/ml in fresh bitter gourd samples and maximum antioxidant capacity was observed in light green big (50.09 µg/ ml) whereas dried samples, the highest antioxidant activity was observed in light green dried (50.07 µg/ ml) in acetone solvent

Effect of Steaming and Boiling on the Antioxidant Properties and Biogenic Amines Content in Green Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Varieties of Different Colours

Effects of boiling and steaming cooking methods were studied on total polyphenols, antioxidant capacity, and biogenic amines of three green bean varieties, purple, yellow, and green.The vegetables gave good values both for antioxidant capacity and for phenolics content, with the purple variety being the richest in healthful components. Both the heat treatments affected the antioxidant properties of these vegetables, with boiling that reduced the initial antioxidant capacity till 30%in the yellowvariety, having the same trend for total polyphenols, with the major decrement of 43% in the green variety. On the contrary, biogenic amines significantly increased only after boiling in green and yellow variety, while purple variety did not show any changes in biogenic amines after cooking. The steaming method showed being better cooking approach in order to preserve the antioxidant properties of green beans varieties and to maintain the biogenic amines content at the lowest level

Studies on the Antioxidant Properties of Various extracts of Hippophae rhamnoide

Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) a spiny shrub native to Ladakh Region of Jammu and Kashmir, have been found to posses so many medicinal properties from times immoral. From this point of view the antioxidant property of the plant fruit extracts have been analysed by DPPH method. Various plant extracts viz, fruit, leaf and root have been analysed for the antioxidant power determination in which fruit extracts showed highest free radical scavenging activity followed by leaf and root extracts. Among the solvents which have been used, more polar solvents showed highest antioxidant activity than the less polar solvent extracts. The IC50 value of various plant extracts as determined have been found to be 40 for DCM extract of fruit, 38 for Methanolic extract of fruit and 30 for the water extract of fruit. Similarly the leaf extracts posses IC50 value as 51, 47 and 37 respectively for DCM, Methanol and Water extracts. The IC50 values of various root extracts have been found to be 53, 50 and 48 respectively for DCM, Methanol and Water

Influence of Processing on Bioactive Substances Content and Antioxidant Properties of Apple Purée from Organic and Conventional Production in Poland

The organic food market is developing dynamically in many European countries and therefore studies concerning the nutritive value of organically produced foods are becoming increasingly important. It was found appropriate to conduct studies on selected bioactive substances and antioxidant properties of apple preserves prepared from organic vs. conventional apples. Three apple cultivars, Lobo, Boskoop and Cortland, were grown in organic and conventional orchards in the Mazovia region in Poland. Dry matter, total phenols, vitamin C, total flavones and antioxidant activity were determined in fresh and pasteurized apple purée. The apple purée prepared from the organic apples contained significantly more total phenols, vitamin C, total flavones and showed a higher antioxidant capacity than the preserves prepared from conventional apples. Processing had a negative effect on both antioxidant capacity and bioactive substances. After pasteurization, the content of vitamin C, total phenols and flavones and antioxidant properties have decreased in the apple purée from both agricultural systems (organic and conventional)

Biologically active properties of plant extracts in cosmetic emulsions

Describes biologically active properties waters plant extracts of domestic herbaceous species as a part cosmetic emulsion in this article. In particular, the antioxidant features related to vitamins, flavonoids, coloring, extractive and tannins were reported. The following research methods as qualitative analysis on groups of biologically active substances, thin-layer chromatography, titrimetry and photometry were used in the work. The ability of extracts to influence the physico-chemical, organoleptic and antioxidant properties of cosmetic emulsion samples was established. The ability of the extracts to exhibit antioxidant and prooxidant effects in cosmetic emulsion samples was determined. This article represents a contribute in the identification of plant extracts and their use as biologically active additives in cosmetic emulsion

Growth performance, in vitro antioxidant properties and chemical composition of the halophyte Limonium algarvense Erben are strongly influenced by the irrigation salinity

Limonium algarvense Erben (sea lavender) is a halophyte species with potential to provide natural ingredients with in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and antidiabetic properties. This study reports for the first time the 1) cultivation of sea lavender in greenhouse conditions under irrigation with freshwater (approx. 0 mM NaCl) and saline aquaculture wastewater (300 and 600 mM NaCl), and 2) the influence of the irrigation salinity on the plant performance (e.g growth, number of produced leaves and flowers), in vitro antioxidant properties [radical scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), metal chelating properties on copper (CCA) and iron (ICA)], toxicity (in vitro on three mammalian cell lines) and chemical composition (determined by LC-ESI-HRMS/MS). The freshwater-irrigated plants had better growth performance than those irrigated with saltwater. Extracts from wild plants, had the highest antioxidant activity, but those from cultivated ones kept high in vitro antioxidant properties and interesting chemical profile. The flowers' extracts of plants irrigated with 300 mM NaCl had the highest antioxidant activities against DPPH, whereas those from freshwater-irrigated plants were more active on ABTS, CCA and FRAP. Most of the extracts showed nil toxicity. The flowers' extracts displayed the highest diversity of compounds, mainly quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, naringenin and their glycoside derivatives. Moreover, their abundance varied with the irrigation salinity. These data indicate that sea lavender plants can be successfully cultivated in greenhouse conditions under fresh- and saltwater irrigation, maintaining interesting biological and chemical properties.Funding Agency Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology Portuguese National Budget CCMAR/Multi/04326/2019 GreenVet project ALG-01-0145-FEDER-028876 XtrerneAquaCrops FA-05-2017-028 Lisboa-01-0145-FEDER-022125-RNEM-IST ID/QUI/00100/201 Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology SFRH/BD/116604/2016 CEECIND/00425/2017info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antioxidant,antimicrobial and toxicological properties of Schinus molle L. essential oils

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Schinus molle L. has been used in folk medicine as antibacterial, antiviral, topical antiseptic, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoural as well as antispasmodic and analgesic; however, there are few studies of pharmacological and toxicological properties of S. molle essential oils. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of S. molle leaf and fruit essential oils, correlated with their chemical composition and evaluate their acute toxicity. Materials and methods: The chemical composition of S. molle leaf and fruit essential oils were evaluated by GC-FID and GC-MS. Antioxidant properties were determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and β-carotene/linoleic acid methods. Antimicrobial properties were evaluated by the agar disc diffusion method and minimal inhibitory concentration assay. Toxicity in Artemia salina and acute toxicity with behavioural screening in mice were evaluated. Results: The dominant compounds found in leaf and fruit essential oils (EOs) were monoterpene hydrocarbons, namely -phellandrene, β-phellandrene, β-myrcene, limonene and α-pinene. EOs showed low scavenging antioxidant activity by the DPPH free radical method and a higher activity by the β-carotene/linoleic acid method. Antimicrobial activity of EOs was observed for Gram+, Gram– pathogenic bacteria and food spoilage fungi. EOs showed cytotoxicity for Artemia salina and lower toxicity in Swiss mice. Conclusions: The result showed that EOs of leaves and fruits of S. molle demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, suggesting their potential use in food or pharmaceutical industries

Black Beans, Fiber, and Antioxidant Capacity Pilot Study: Examination of Whole Foods vs. Functional Components on Postprandial Metabolic, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Adults with Metabolic Syndrome.

Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) contain bioactive components with functional properties that may modify cardiovascular risk. The aims of this pilot study were to evaluate the ability of black beans to attenuate postprandial metabolic, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses and determine relative contribution of dietary fiber and antioxidant capacity of beans to the overall effect. In this randomized, controlled, crossover trial, 12 adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS) consumed one of three meals (black bean (BB), fiber matched (FM), and antioxidant capacity matched (AM)) on three occasions that included blood collection before (fasting) and five hours postprandially. Insulin was lower after the BB meal, compared to the FM or AM meals (p < 0.0001). A significant meal × time interaction was observed for plasma antioxidant capacity (p = 0.002) revealing differences over time: AM > BB > FM. Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) was not different by meal, although a trend for declining oxLDL was observed after the BB and AM meals at five hours compared to the FM meal. Triglycerides and interleukin-6 (IL-6) increased in response to meals (p < 0.0001). Inclusion of black beans with a typical Western-style meal attenuates postprandial insulin and moderately enhances postprandial antioxidant endpoints in adults with MetS, which could only be partly explained by fiber content and properties of antioxidant capacity

Antioxidant, antifungal, antibiofilm, and cytotoxic activities of Mentha spp. essential oils

Since ancient times, plants have been used to preserve food, or for their health properties. Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile compounds that are obtained from botanical material, specifically from aromatic plants. Lamiaceae is one of the most important families in the production of essential oils, as it has both antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The essential oils of Mentha (the Lamiaceae family) have been extensively studied for their biological actions. In this review, we report the antioxidant, antifungal, antibiofilm, and cytotoxic properties of Mentha spp. essential oils. The first objective is to provide comprehensive information about the use of essential oils in the treatment of fungal infections, or as antioxidants and integrative anticancer therapy. The second is to explore the evidence supporting its effectiveness in treating diseases without causing any serious adverse reactions

Physicochemical parameters and bioactive compounds of strawberry Ttee (Arbutus unedo L.) honey

Botanical origin, physicochemical properties (ash, colour, diastase activity, electrical conductivity (EC), hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), moisture, optical rotation (OP), pH, reducing sugars, total acidity, total soluble solids, and water activity), bioactive compounds (BC), and antioxidant activity obtained from strawberry tree honey from South Portugal were investigated. Results showed that the pollen analysis and physicochemical parameters were found within to meet international honey specifications. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in results of ash content, EC, HMF, OP and colour when were compared with analogous famous Italian honey (Sardinia island). For BC, total phenolic and total flavonoid content were 94.47mg gallic acid/100 g and 5.33 mg quercetin/100 g, respectively. Concerning Portuguese honey, it was also found that radical scavenging activity (DPPH assay) was 43.46% and antioxidant activity was 18.85 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g and 9.92 mg quercetin equivalent/100 g. These results confirmed that Portuguese strawberry tree honey has the highest antioxidant activity, when compared with other kinds of honey. This complete report demonstrates advantages and can help to promote consumption and shown their benefical properties (e.g., antioxidant); which will may increase the commercial value.Erasmus Mundus European Program [2008-1022/002