Antioxidant and antimutagenic activities of <i>Acacia pennatula</i> pods

859-864Methanolic extracts of Acacia pennatula pods (MEA) were screened for antioxidant and antimutagenic properties by 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2´-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Kado microsuspension assays, respectively. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as HPLC identification and quantification of gallic acid and (+)-catechin were also carried out. MEA were capable of significant antioxidant capacity by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods. MEA inhibited > 80% mutagenicity induced either by 4-nitro-O-phenylenediamine or sodium azide. Thus phenolics-containing extracts of A. pennatula pods display biological activities with potential application in pharmaceutical and food sectors