ABSTRACT
Objective: The bulb of Albuca bracteata Jacq., and Albuca setosa commonly used in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa for the treatment of several types of disease conditions including diabetes, was investigated for their phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities. Methods: The antioxidant activity was determined by evaluating the effect of various solvent extracts (acetone, methanol, ethanol and water) on 2,2 – diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, 2,2' – azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid diammonium salt (ABTS), ferric reducing power, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide scavenging activity while the various extracts were also analysed for phytochemical their contents. Results: The results obtained indicate that polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, saponins and alkaloids are present in higher concentrations. The composition of phenols (117 mg/g), flavonols (26.28 mg/g), proanthocyanidins (84.85 mg/g) and flavonoids (5.36 mg/g) were significantly higher in the acetone extract while saponin and alkaloids contents were higher in the aqueous extract. Antioxidant studies of the extracts for nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, ABTS and DPPH showed high antioxidant potential in a concentration-dependent manner that was not significantly different from Vitamin C, BHT and Rutin used as standard references. The methanol extract showed higher ferric reducing potential compared to the aqueous extract but was significantly different from Vitamin C, BHT and Rutin. Conclusion: This implies that the bulb of Albuca bracteata may serve as a natural source of antioxidants, which together with the numerous phytochemicals present, could account for its folkloric use as a medicinal plant.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the antioxidant,antibacterial and phytochemical properties of ethanol extracts of Brachylaena elliptica and Brachylaena ilicifolia against wound infecting bacteria normally found in diabetic parents.Methods:The in vitro antioxidant activity of the two plants extracts were investigated spectrophotometrically using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,nitric oxide,azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) dianunonium salt,hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ferric reducing power.The antibacterial assay and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the agar dilution method against five bacteria strains using amoxycillin and ciprofloxacin as positive control.The phytochemical analyses (tannins,total phenol,flavonoids,flavonols,proanthocyanidin,alkaloids and saponins) were assessed using standard methods.Results:The ethanol extract of both plants exhibited strong antioxidant activities in some cases when compared to the standards (vitamin C and BHT).The antibacterial activity of both plants showed an appreciable broad spectrum activity against these wound pathogens with MIC value ranges between 0.3 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL.Tannins,phenols,flavanols,proanthocyanidins and alkaloids content of B.ilicifolia were significandy higher than those in B.elliptica.However,there were no significant differences in the flavanoid content of both plants extracts.Conclusions:These results indicated that the ethanol leaf extracts of these plants have antioxidant and antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria possibly due to the presence of bioactive compounds and therefore could be used as alternative therapy against wound infection caused by these bacteria in diabetic patients.