HPLC-PDA-ESI-MSn profiling of polyphenolics in different parts of Capparis spinosa and Capparis decidua as function of harvesting seasons

HPLC-PDA-ESI-MSn analysis of different parts such as stem bark, shoot, flower, fruit and root of Capparis spinosa (C. spinosa) and Capparis decidua (C. decidua), collected in rainy and dry seasons from the Cholistan desert of Pakistan, depicted the occurrence of a wide array of phenolics with quercetin, apigenin and kaempferol derivatives along with dicaffeoylquinic acid, caffeoylquinic acid and feruloylquinic acid as the main compounds. Kaempferol-3-glucoside (28.02-167.21 μg g-1dw) was found to be the principal component in all tested parts of both species while dicaffeoylquinic acid was detected only in the flowers and roots. The roots exhibited maximum contents of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. The harvesting period significantly (p<0.05) affected the concentration of phenolics wherein the samples collected in rainy season offered greater levels of phenolics than their counterpart. The roots and fruits of both species were found to be rich sources of phenolics. The findings of this research suggest the harvesting of the selected wild Capparis species in rainy season to maximize their antioxidant and nutraceutical benefits

A green nutraceutical study of antioxidants extraction in Cleome brachycarpa - an ethnomedicinal plant

In the present study, an indigenous medical plant ‘Cleome brachycarpa’ was comparatively investigated for its antioxidant extraction for first time; using the soxhlet (traditional), microwave-assisted, and ultrasound-assisted (green) extraction methods with seven different solvents. The microwave-assisted extraction with methanol as solvent recovered the phytochemicals two-folds higher than the other methods with extraction efficiency of 370.57 ± 0.49 μg/ mg and correspondingly extracted the polyphenols: Phenolics (74.17 ± 0.61 μg GAE/mg DW), Flavonoids (65.46 ± 0.40 μg QE/mg DW), and Tannins (55.97 ± 0.85 μg CE/mg DW). The antioxidant capacity in relation with polyphenols was determined for Free radical scavenging activity and total antioxidant potential. The DPPH radical scavenging percentage of methanolic green extract of Cleome brachycarpa was found to be 81.37 ± 0.28 with IC50 of 0.30 mg/mL that matched up to the DPPH scavenging potential of Trolox. Furthermore, the ferric reducing potential was high up to 15.30 ± 0.30 μg GAE/mg DW. The correlation of antioxidant capacity with polyphenols was highly significant (p < 0.05). The green nutraceutical study has validated the ethnomedicinal importance of Cleome brachycarpa which is related to its high polyphenolic content. The findings highlight Cleome brachycarpa as a potential candidate for research and isolation of medicinal polyphenols

Drought affects size, nutritional quality, antioxidant activities and phenolic acids of Moringa oleifera LAM.

To observe variation in growth performance, antioxidant activities, and nutritional quality of Moringa oleifera, we exogenously applied benzyl amino purine (BAP), ascorbic acid, and moringa leaf extract (MLE) to moringa plants at three field capacity levels, 100, 75, and 40% in a completely randomized design with three replications. We observed a decrease in growth, chlorophyll a and b, total phenolic contents, antioxidant activities, crude protein, and mineral contents of moringa leaves at 100 and 40% field capacity in comparison with 75% field capacity. BAP best improved growth performance of moringa plants, improving shoot length, root length, number of leaves and photosynthetic pigments, followed by MLE at 75% field capacity, while moringa plants showed reduced growth at 40% field capacity which was increased by BAP and MLE foliar application. Maximum contents of gallic acid, p-coumaric acid and sinapic acid were found in moringa leaves when the plants were sprayed with ascorbic acid while p-hydroxybenzoic acid and caffeic acid were maximally increased under 75% field capacity when the plants were subjected to BAP followed by MLE. The lowest and highest crude protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorous contents were recorded under 40 and 75% field capacity, with MLE impro-ving these contents under both conditions. It can safely be concluded that moringa plants showed retarded growth under 100 and 40% field capacity, and that the effects of deficit in nutritional quality were mitigated by applying BAP and MLE. Among these two plant growth regulators, MLE can be preferred being a natural source