Total Phenolic Contents and Antioxidant Properties of Algerian Alkanna tinctoria aerial part Extracts

Objective: Evaluation of the polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins contents of different aqueous extracts of the aerial part of Alkanna tinctoria and their antioxidant activities.  Methodology: Three extracts;  decoction, macerate and infusion of the aerial part of Alkanna tinctoria were prepared. The content of total polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins of the extracts was carried out and antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH (2,2’-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl), β-carotene bleaching and iron chelation tests. Results : The results showed that Infusion (Inf) was the richest in total polyphenols (189.66 ± 30.77 mg EGA / g of dried extract) and flavonoids (26.80 ± 8.37 mg EQ / g of dried extract). While the content of tannins is almost the same for Dec and Inf (40.27 ± 15.00, 40.25 ± 18.27 mg ETA / g of dried extract). Moreover, the two extracts Inf (IC50 of 0.09 ± 0.0015 mg / ml) and Dec (IC50 of 0.17 ± 0. 031 mg / ml) showed a very strong anti-radical activity towards the radical DPPH. In the β-carotene bleaching test, Inf and Dec showed a significant inhibitory activity of peroxidation with values ​​of 100% and 99.8% and are more effective compared to BHT (98.15%). Dec and Mac showed strong chelating activity with IC50s of 0.003 ± 0.0002 mg / ml and 0.005 ± 0.00008 mg / ml respectively. These chelating activities remain higher than EDTA. Conclusion: It may be concluded that the extracts of the aerial part of Alkanna tinctoria exhibit significant both content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity. Keywords: Alkanna tinctoria, polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity

Inhibitory Effect of Xanthine Oxidase from Tamus communis Roots Extracts/Fraction

In the course of our phytochemical studies of plant Tamus communis L., methanol soluble extract (EMeOH) (138 g) was chromatographed on a silica gel column. The column was eluted with chloroform and then with chloroform /methanol mixtures of increasing polarity. A total of 52 fractions (400 ml each) were collected and grouped according to their TLC behaviour into 6 main fractions (I-VI).  Total phenolic and flavonoid contents in these extracts were determined by a colorimetric method. Values varied between 73.143±0.009 and 29.214±0.003 equivalent Gallic acid/g lyophilisate. All the extracts showed inhibitory properties on xanthine oxidase, the IC50 ranges from 0.029±0.017 mg/ml to 0.237±0.026 mg/ml. The extracts exhibited an additional superoxide scavenging capacity by using both enzymatic methods and IC50 values ​​range from 0.039±0.023 mg/ml to 0.141±0.086 mg/ml. These results show that Tamus communis L. extracts have strong anti-oxidant effects and may have some clinical benefits. Keywords: Xanthine oxidase, Antioxidant, Superoxide scavenger, Tamus communis L