Total phenolic compounds, radical scavenging and metal chelation of extracts from Icelandic seaweeds

Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities of selected species of seaweeds from Danish coast

Water and ethanolic extracts of 16 species of seaweeds collected along the Danish coasts were screened for antioxidant activities using four in vitro antioxidant assays (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, reducing power, ferrous ion-chelating and liposome model system). Furthermore their effectiveness in retarding lipid peroxidation in fish oil was evaluated by an accelerated stability test. Significant differences were observed in total and individual phenolic content and the antioxidant activities of seaweed species evaluated. Ethanol was more efficient for polyphenol extraction than water. Polysiphonia fucoides and all the Fucus species tested showed highest radical scavenging activity, reducing power, inhibition of oxidation in liposome model system and in fish oil and were high in phenolic content. These seaweeds could be potential rich sources of natural antioxidants for protection of foods against oxidation. In general, the various antioxidative assays correlated well with the total phenolic content, indicating that algal polyphenols are active components in these extracts. However, in some of the antioxidative assays some species with low total phenolic content also showed good antioxidative effects indicating that some other co-extracted active compounds such as pigments and tocopherols in ethanolic extracts and sulphated polysaccharides, proteins or peptides in water extracts may also contribute to the overall antioxidant properties and this needs further investigation.

Protective effect of Spirulina platensis enriched in phenolic compounds against hepatotoxicity induced by CCl4

Phenolic compounds make up the major secondary metabolites with high pharmaceutical potential. Microalgae were reported to contain low amounts of phenolic compounds. The present study aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective potential of biomass of Spirulina platensis enriched in phenolic compounds. The protective effects of the biomass of S. platensis with low amounts of phenolics (SP1) and with high amounts of phenolics (SP2) against CCl4-induced acute hepatotoxicity were evaluated in rats. The increased levels of ALT, AST and MDA along with decreased activities of SOD and CAT were significantly (p<0.01) ameliorated by SP2. Histological examinations revealed that SP2 was more potent than SP1 in protecting the liver from toxic injury of CCl4 and preserving the hepatocyte ultrastructure. The lesions including necrosis, lymphocyte infiltration, ballooning degeneration and hepatocyte injury as irregular lamellar organisation, dilations in endoplasmic reticulums and the presence of great number of cytoplasmic vacuolization were healed by SP2.

Differential growth inhibition of cancer cell lines and antioxidant activity of extracts of red, brown, and green marine algae

As the use of various anticancer drugs is associated with many undesirable side effects, there is an urgent need for the discovery of new, better, and specific anticancer compounds. Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities as well as effects on cell morphology were investigated for methanol (M), chloroform (C), ethyl acetate (E), and aqueous (A) extracts of Caulerpa peltata, Gelidiella acerosa, Padina gymnospora, and Sargassum wightii using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging, ferrous ion chelation, and resazurin-based growth inhibition (in A549, HCT-15, MG-63, and PC-3 cell lines) assays. A general trend was the greater extraction of phenols and flavonoids by chloroform and ethyl acetate, which showed higher activity in many assays. These non-polar C and E extracts showed higher DPPH radical-scavenging and growth inhibitory activities in A549, HCT-15, and PC-3 cells. However, higher ferrous ion chelation (A extracts) and growth inhibition in MG-63 cells (M and A extracts) were seen for the polar extracts. Furthermore, P. gymnospora and C. peltata emerged as promising sources for antiproliferative agents that could be explored for their own activity and as leads for the development of other compounds.

Emerging role of phenolic compounds as natural food additives in fish and fish products

Chemical and microbiological deteriorations are principal causes of quality loss of fish and fish products during handling, processing, and storage. Development of rancid odor and unpleasant flavor, changes of color and texture as well as lowering nutritional value in fish can be prevented by appropriate use of additives. Due to the potential health hazards of synthetic additives, natural products, especially antioxidants and antimicrobial agents, have been intensively examined as safe alternatives to synthetic compounds. Polyphenols (PP) are the natural antioxidants prevalent in fruits, vegetables, beverages (tea, wine, juices), plants, seaweeds, and some herbs and show antioxidative and antimicrobial activities in different fish and fish products. The use of phenolic compounds also appears to be a good alternative for sulphiting agent for retarding melanosis in crustaceans. Phenolic compounds have also been successfully employed as the processing aid for texture modification of fish mince and surimi. Thus, plant polyphenolic compounds can serve as potential additives for preventing quality deterioration or to retain the quality of fish and fish products.

Green improved processes to extract bioactive phenolic compounds from brown macroalgae using Sargassum muticum as model

A comparative study between "alternative" extraction processes such as centrifugal partition extraction (CPE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and classical solid/liquid used in the laboratory are currently focusing on the efficiency (selectivity and productivity) to obtain bioactive phenolic compounds from the phaeophyte Sargassum muticum model. The choice of the best process was based on several measurements: (i) the total phenolic content measured by the colorimetric Folin-Ciocalteu assay, (ii) radical scavenger and antioxidant activities assessed by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay, and the β-carotene bleaching method and finally (iii) the method productivity. Irrespective of the solvent used in the processes, alternative methods are always sharply more effective than classical ones. With the exception of SFE which does not allow extracting the totality of the active phenolic compounds, two of the other extraction methods were particularly promising. First, CPE afforded the most important yields in concentrated phenolic compounds (PC) (22.90±0.65% DW) also displaying the best activities (0.52±0.02 and 0.58±0.19 mg/mL for IC50 and AAC700, respectively). Secondly, PLE using an EtOH:water mixture 75:25 (v/v) allowed a good PC extraction (10.18±0.25% DW) with huge efficiency. Despite a lesser activity of the extracts (0.77±0.01 and 1.59±0.15 mg/mL for IC50 and AAC700, respectively) PLE is a green process and potentially complies European norms requirements for the prospective valorization of phenolic compounds from S. muticum in Brittany.

Bioactive microconstituents and antioxidant properties of wild edible mushrooms from the island of Lesvos, Greece

Crude composition, fatty acids, sterols, total phenolic content (TPC), individual polyphenols and terpenic acids were determined in five wild edible mushrooms species (Lactarius deliciosus, Lactarius sanguifluus, Lactarius semisanguifluus, Russula delica, Suillus bellinii) from Lesvos Island, Greece. In addition, the DPPH scavenging capacity, the ferric ion reducing power (FRAP) and the ferrous ion chelating activity of mushroom methanolic extracts were assessed. Among sterols, ergosterol predominated at concentrations 9.2-18.0mg/100g fw. Total phenolic content of mushroom extracts ranged from 6.0 to 20.8mg GAE/100g fw. Up to 19 simple polyphenols were determined in mushrooms extracts, the more abundant being p-OH-benzoic acid, p-OH-phenylacetic acid, o-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and chrysin. In addition, the triterpenic acids oleanolic and ursolic were detected for the first time in mushrooms. All species exerted antioxidant activity and ferrous ion chelating capacity. Principal component analysis revealed good correlations between TPC, DPPH and FRAP but not with metal chelating activity. It seems that mushrooms polyphenols exert antiradical and reducing activities, but they are not strong metal chelators, the observed chelating ability being probably due to other classes of compounds. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the bioactive microconstituents and antioxidant activity of wild Greek edible mushrooms.

Anti-inflammatory effects of phlorofucofuroeckol B-rich ethyl acetate fraction obtained from Myagropsis myagroides on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and mouse edema

Myagropsis myagroides has been used as a Chinese medicine and its extract has shown various biological activities, however, its anti-inflammatory mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of M. myagroides (EFM) on the production of inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. EFM significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E(2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner and suppressed the production of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW 264.7 cells. Inhibitory effect of EFM on iNOS expression and NO production was further confirmed using LPS-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages. EFM treatment strongly suppressed the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) by suppressing phosphorylation of Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs). EFM as well as phlorofucofuroeckol B (PFF-B), a major compound isolated from EFM, reduced ear edema induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in mice. These results indicate that the anti-inflammatory effect of EFM, rich in PFF-B, on LPS-stimulated macrophages is regulated by the inhibition of NF-κB pathway through the inhibition of ERKs and Akt phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated macrophage cells.

Anti-inflammatory effect of ethanolic extract from Myagropsis myagroides on murine macrophages and mouse ear edema

BACKGROUND

This study aims to investigate anti-inflammatory effect of ethanolic extract of Myagropsis myagroides (EMM) in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced ear edema in mice, and to clarify its underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

The levels of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured by Griess assay and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and Akt were measured using Western blotting. Nuclear translocation and transcriptional activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) were determined by immunocytochemistry and reporter gene assay, respectively. PMA-induced mouse ear edema was used as the animal model of inflammation. Anti-inflammatory compounds in EMM were isolated using high-performance liquid chromatography and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance.

RESULTS

EMM significantly inhibited the production of NO, PGE2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner and suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. EMM strongly suppressed nuclear translocation of NF-κB by preventing degradation of inhibitor of κB-α as well as by inhibiting phosphorylation of Akt and MAPKs. EMM reduced ear edema in PMA-induced mice. One of the anti-inflammatory compounds in EMM was identified as 6,6'-bieckol.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of EMM are associated with the down-regulation of iNOS, COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines through the inhibition of NF-κB pathway in LPS-stimulated macrophages.

Assessment of the ability of seaweed extracts to protect against hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide induced cellular damage in Caco-2 cells

The ability of brown seaweed extracts, Ascophyllum nodosum, Laminaria hyperborea, Pelvetia canaliculata, Fucus vesiculosus and Fucus serratus to protect against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tert-BOOH) induced stress in Caco-2 cells was investigated. Oxidative stress was determined by measuring alteration in the enzymatic activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutases (SOD) and cellular levels of glutathione (GSH). L. hyperborea, P. canaliculata and F. serratus significantly protected against tert-BOOH induced SOD reduction but did not protect against the reduction in CAT activity or the increased cellular levels of GSH. The ability of F. serratus and F. vesiculosus to protect against H(2)O(2) and tert-BOOH induced DNA damage was also assessed. The DNA protective effects of the two seaweed extracts was compared to those of three metal chelators; deferoxamine mesylate (DFO), 1,10-phenanthroline (o-phen) and 1,2-Bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid tetrakis (BAPTA-AM). F. serratus and F. vesiculosus significantly protected (P<0.05) against H(2)O(2) (50 μM) induced DNA damage but not tert-BOOH induced damage.

Anti-inflammatory activities of an ethanol extract of Ecklonia stolonifera in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells

Ecklonia stolonifera is a brown alga that was shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, tyrosinase inhibitory, and chemopreventive activities. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its anti-inflammatory activity remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of the anti-inflammatory action of E. stolonifera ethanolic extracts (ESE) using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. ESE inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide (IC(50) = 72 ± 1.9 μg/mL) and prostaglandin E(2) (IC(50) = 98 ± 5.3 μg/mL) production in a dose-dependent manner and suppressed the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW 264.7 cells. ESE also reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. LPS-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcriptional activity and NF-κB translocation into the nucleus were significantly inhibited by ESE treatment through the prevention of the degradation of inhibitor κB-α. Moreover, ESE inhibited the activation of Akt, ERK, JNK1/2, and p38 MAPK in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The main components with anti-inflammatory activity in ESE were identified as phlorofucofuroeckol A and B based on the inhibition of NO production. Our results indicate that ESE can be considered as a potential source of therapeutic agents for inflammatory diseases.

Antioxidant activity assay based on the inhibition of oxidation and photobleaching of L-cysteine-capped CdTe quantum dots

Quantum dots (QDs) have recently been the focus of attention of many investigators for development of diagnostic tools in many research areas. In this work, we established a new QD-based assay to evaluate the antioxidant/polyphenolic activity. This assay is based on measurement of the inhibitory effect of the antioxidant/polyphenolic compounds on the UV-induced bleaching of CdTe QDs with L-cysteine capping. QDs exhibited excellent photostability without any UV exposure, while they bleached rapidly under UV irradiation. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under UV irradiation is probably the main cause of the photobleaching of QDs. By comparing the photostability of QDs in buffer solution in the absence and presence of sodium azide, as a known (1)O(2) quencher, the involvement of (1)O(2) in photobleaching of QDs was confirmed. The photobleaching effect induced by ROS could be reduced in the presence of antioxidant/polyphenolic compounds. We tested several antioxidant/polyphenolic compounds as well as known antioxidants such as trolox and 4 different types of tea. The results obtained by the QD-based assay revealed a very good correlation with the data acquired by Folin-Ciocalteu assay. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of the mechanism and the solution for photobleaching of QDs under UV irradiation might be very meaningful in promoting their clinical applications.

Antioxidant property enhancement of sweet potato flour under simulated gastrointestinal pH

Sweet potato is known to be rich in healthful antioxidants, but the stability of its antioxidant properties under gastrointestinal pH is very much unknown. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the changes in antioxidant properties (total contents of phenolics and flavonoids as well as antioxidant activity) of sweet potato flour (SPF) under simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions. It was found that the yield of SPF crude phenolic extract increased from 0.29 to 3.22 g/100 g SPF upon subjection to gastrointestinal pH conditions (p < 0.05). Also elevated significantly were the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity of SPF (p < 0.05). In summary, the antioxidant properties of SPF were enhanced under gastrointestinal pH conditions, suggesting that SPF might possess a considerable amount of bound phenolic and other antioxidative compounds. The antioxidant properties of SPF are largely influenced by pH and thus might be enhanced during the in vivo digestive process.

Simulated gastrointestinal pH condition improves antioxidant properties of wheat and rice flours

The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant properties of wheat and rice flours under simulated gastrointestinal pH condition. After subjecting the wheat and rice flour slurries to simulated gastrointestinal pH condition, both slurries were centrifuged to obtain the crude phenolic extracts for further analyses. Extraction yield, total contents of phenolic and flavonoids were determined as such (untreated) and under simulated gastrointestinal pH condition (treated). 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH^•) scavenging activity, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation (ABTS^•+) scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), beta-carotene bleaching (BCB) and iron chelating activity assays were employed for the determination of antioxidant activity of the tested samples. In almost all of the assays performed, significant improvements in antioxidant properties (p < 0.05) were observed in both flours after treatment, suggesting that wheat and rice flours contain considerably heavy amounts of bound phenolics, and that their antioxidant properties might be improved under gastrointestinal digestive conditions.

Antioxidant capacities of phlorotannins extracted from the brown algae Fucus vesiculosus

A process for the effective extraction and fractionation of phlorotannins from Fucus vesiculosus with high antioxidant potentials was investigated. The antioxidant activity of F. vesiculosus extract/fractions was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, reducing power, and ferrous ion-chelating assays. Among the crude extract and different polarity fractions, the phlorotannin-enriched ethyl acetate fraction possessed the highest DPPH scavenging activity and reducing power. This fraction was further fractionated by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography or ultrafiltration. The antioxidant properties were evaluated by both the above chemical antioxidant tests and a mononuclear cell-based bioassay. Sephadex subfractions LH-2 and LH-3 with high total phlorotannin content exhibited strong DPPH quenching activity, comparable to those of ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxytoluene and significantly higher than that of α-tocopherol. Polyphenols in F. vesiculosus were found to consist mainly of high molecular weight phlorotannin polymers. There were no clear relationships between the degree of polymerization, molecular size, and antioxidant activity. All the subfractions separated by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and ultrafiltration showed a high ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species generated by mononuclear cells. Further characterization of the phlorotannin compounds was performed on six Sephadex subfractions. Several phlorotannin oligomers were tentatively identified on the basis of HPLC-ESI-MS(n) analyses.

Exploiting biological activities of brown seaweed Ecklonia cava for potential industrial applications: a review

Seaweeds are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fibres, proteins, polysaccharides and various functional polyphenols. Many researchers have focused on brown algae as a potential source of bioactive materials in the past few decades. Ecklonia cava is a brown seaweed that is abundant in the subtidal regions of Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea. This seaweed attracted extensive interest due to its multiple biological activities. E. cava has been identified as a potential producer of wide spectrum of natural substances such as carotenoids, fucoidans and phlorotannins showing different biological activities in vital industrial applications including pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and functional food. This review focuses on biological activities of the brown seaweed E. cava based on latest research results, including antioxidant, anticoagulative, antimicrobial, antihuman immunodeficiency virus, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimutagenic, antitumour and anticancer effects. The facts summarized here may provide novel insights into the functions of E. cava and its derivatives and potentially enable their use as functional ingredients in potential industrial applications.

Phlorotannins from brown algae (Fucus vesiculosus) inhibited the formation of advanced glycation endproducts by scavenging reactive carbonyls

Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in vivo is associated with aging, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, renal failure, etc. The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of brown algae Fucus vesiculosus phlorotannins on the formation of AGEs. F. vesiculosus phlorotannins were extracted using 70% acetone. The resultant extract was fractionated into dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water fractions. The ethyl acetate fraction was further fractionated into four subfractions (Ethyl-F1 to -F4) using a Sephadex LH-20 column. F. vesiculosus acetone extract or fractions significantly inhibited the formation of AGEs mediated by glucose and methylglyoxal in a concentration-dependent manner. The concentrations of F. vesiculosus extracts required to inhibit 50% of albumin glycation (EC(50)) in the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-methylglyoxal assay were lower than those of aminoguanidine (a drug candidate for diabetic complication), except for F. vesiculosus acetone extract and dichloromethane fraction. In the BSA-glucose assay, F. vesiculosus extracts inhibited BSA glycation more than or as effectively as aminoguanidine, except for Ethyl-F3 and -F4. The ethyl acetate fraction and its four subfractions scavenged more than 50% of methylglyoxal in two hours. The hypothesis whether F. vesiculosus phlorotannins scavenged reactive carbonyls by forming adducts was tested. Phloroglucinol, the constituent unit of phlorotannins, reacted with glyoxal and methylglyoxal. Five phloroglucinol-carbonyl adducts were detected and tentatively identified using HPLC-ESI-MS(n).

Phlorotannins of the edible brown seaweed Ecklonia cava Kjellman induce sleep via positive allosteric modulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A-benzodiazepine receptor: A novel neurological activity of seaweed polyphenols

The primary objective was to investigate whether seaweeds have hypnotic activity. Methanol extracts of 30 seaweeds were screened for their binding activity at the GABA type A-benzodiazepine (GABA_A-BZD) receptor, a well-characterised molecular target for sedative-hypnotics. The most active seaweed was Ecklonia cava Kjellman (ECK). An ethanol extract of ECK (ECK-E) significantly potentiated pentobarbital-induced sleep in mice. In four solvent fractions separated from ECK-E, hypnotic activity was proportional to contents of total phenols and total phlorotannins, known as seaweed polyphenols. Major phlorotannins of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction with the highest activity were eckol, eckstolonol, dieckol, and triphlorethol-A, and their K_i (binding affinity, μM) values for [³H]-flumazenil binding were 1.070, 1.491, 3.072, and 4.419, respectively. Hypnotic effects of ECK-E and the EtOAc fraction were fully inhibited by flumazenil, a specific GABA_A-BZD receptor antagonist. These results imply that phlorotannins of ECK induce sleep by positive allosteric modulation of the GABA_A-BZD receptor.

Marine bioactives as functional food ingredients: potential to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases

The marine environment represents a relatively untapped source of functional ingredients that can be applied to various aspects of food processing, storage, and fortification. Moreover, numerous marine-based compounds have been identified as having diverse biological activities, with some reported to interfere with the pathogenesis of diseases. Bioactive peptides isolated from fish protein hydrolysates as well as algal fucans, galactans and alginates have been shown to possess anticoagulant, anticancer and hypocholesterolemic activities. Additionally, fish oils and marine bacteria are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, while crustaceans and seaweeds contain powerful antioxidants such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds. On the basis of their bioactive properties, this review focuses on the potential use of marine-derived compounds as functional food ingredients for health maintenance and the prevention of chronic diseases.

Antioxidant potential of two red seaweeds from the Brazilian coasts

In this work, in vitro antioxidant activity of two Brazilian red seaweeds, Gracilaria birdiae and Gracilaria cornea, was characterized. The total phenolic content, the radical-scavenging activity and the antioxidant activity were determined in two solvent extracts of the algae. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) allowed identification of important antioxidant compounds. The ethanol extract of G. birdiae was found to have the highest value of total phenolic content: 1.13 mg of gallic acid equiv (GAE)/g of extract. The radical-scavenging activity of G. birdiae and G. cornea extracts has been evaluated at different extract concentrations; the IC(50) values of ethanolic extracts of G. cornea and G. birdiae were 0.77 and 0.76 mg mL(-1), respectively, while for methanolic extracts, the IC(50) values of G. cornea and G. birdiae were 0.86 and 0.76 mg mL(-1), respectively. The antioxidant activities of these two seaweeds' extracts as assessed by the β-carotene-linoleic acid assay were equally high, achieving values of β-carotene oxidation inhibition of up to 40%. Finally, in the methanolic extracts, LC-MS/MS allowed identification in both algae of two important antioxidants: apigenin and gallic acid.

In vitro antioxidant activities of selected seaweeds from Southeast coast of India

OBJECTIVE

In vitro antioxidant activities of three selected Indian seaweeds viz., Halimeda tuna (H. tuna), Turbinaria conoides (T. conoides) and Gracilaria foliifera (G. foliifera) were evaluated.

METHODS

Total antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and reducing power of crude methanol and diethyl ether extracts were determined.

RESULTS

Total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity were higher (1.231±0.173 mg GAE/g, 1.675± 0.361 mg GAE/g) in T. conoides respectively. Reducing power of crude methanol extract increased with concentrations of the extract. The Fourier transform-infra red spectrum analysis revealed the presence of polyphenolic signals. The seaweed extracts displayed moderate antioxidant activity compared to gallic acid standard.

CONCLUSIONS

The seaweeds could be considered for curing diseases from oxidative deteriorations.

Extraction, quantification, and antioxidant activities of phenolics from pericarp and seeds of bitter melons (Momordica charantia) harvested at three maturity stages (immature, mature, and ripe)

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is an exotic vegetable used for consumption and medicinal purposes mainly throughout Asia. Phenolics were extracted from pericarp (fleshy portion) and seeds of bitter melons harvested at three maturation stages (immature, mature, and ripe) using ethanol and water solvent systems. Total phenolic assessment demonstrated 80% of ethanol to be the optimal solvent level to extract phenolics either from pericarp or seed. Main phenolic constituents in the extracts were catechin, gallic acid, gentisic acid, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin. Free radical scavenging assay using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) demonstrated the bitter melon extracts as slow rate free radical scavenging agents. There were low correlations between the total phenolic contents and antiradical power values of the extracts, suggesting a possible interaction among the phenolic constituents occurred. Bitter melon phenolic extracts contain natural antioxidant substances, and could be used as antioxidant agents in suitable food products.