In vitro antioxidant properties, free radicals scavenging activities of extracts and polyphenol composition of a non-timber forest product used as spice: Monodora myristica

BACKGROUND: Excessive production of free radicals causes direct damage to biological molecules such as DNA, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates leading to tumor development and progression. Natural antioxidant molecules from phytochemicals of plant origin may directly inhibit either their production or limit their propagation or destroy them to protect the system. In the present study, Monodora myristica a non-timber forest product consumed in Cameroon as spice was screened for its free radical scavenging properties, antioxidant and enzymes protective activities. Its phenolic compound profile was also realized by HPLC. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that M. myristica has scavenging properties against DPPH',OH',NO', and ABTS'radicals which vary in a dose depending manner. It also showed an antioxidant potential that was comparable with that of Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) and vitamin C used as standard. The aqueous ethanol extract of M. myristica barks (AEH); showed a significantly higher content in polyphenolic compounds (21.44 ± 0.24 mg caffeic acid/g dried extract) and flavonoid (5.69 ± 0.07 quercetin equivalent mg/g of dried weight) as compared to the other studied extracts. The HPLC analysis of the barks and leaves revealed the presence of several polyphenols. The acids (3,4-OH-benzoic, caffeic, gallic, O- and P- coumaric, syringic, vanillic), alcohols (tyrosol and OH-tyrosol), theobromine, quercetin, rutin, catechine and apigenin were the identified and quantified polyphenols. All the tested extracts demonstrated a high protective potential on the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and peroxidase activities. CONCLUSION: Finally, the different extracts from M. myristica and specifically the aqueous ethanol extract reveal several properties such as higher free radical scavenging properties, significant antioxidant capacities and protective potential effects on liver enzymes.

Correlaçäo entre a capacidade tamponante, o pH, e a açäo da enzima peroxidase em pacientes de ortodontia, como elementos da manutençäo da saúde bucal / Correlation among buffer capacity, pH, and the active of peroxidase enzyma in orthodontic patients, as elements of oral health manteinance

Foram avaliadas amostras de saliva de 14 indivíduos portadores de aparelhos removíveis, antes e durante o tratamento ortodôntico, quanto as características da capacidade tamponante, pH e atividade enzimática da peroxidase. Avaliou-se o risco de cáries e doença periodontal durante o tratamento. As coletas das salivas foram feitas periodicamente e analisou-se estas amostras através de reaçöes laboratoriais de mediçäo da capacidade tamponante e avaliaçäo da atividade da enzima peroxidase. Os resultados obtidos mostraram : um ligeiro aumento da capacidade tamponante e pH inicial da saliva e queda da atividade da enzima em cerca de 30 por cento (em 200 segundos de reaçäo). Apesar da pequena elevaçäo do pH, houve atividade catalítica da peroxidase (70 por cento do inicial), ocorrendo certa proteçäo da enzima contra o desenvolvimento anormal de bactérias, mas os resultados sugerem que com a elevaçäo do pH houve um desequilíbrio do sistema tampäo carbonato/bicarbonato passando a atuar o tampäo fosfato, havendo assim a possibilidade de formaçäo de cálculo e de doença gengival

study on the effect of some anti-oxidants and angiotensin in converting enzyme inhibitors on some renal functions and predicative changes in glycerol-induced acute renal failure in the rat

The present work was designed to evaluate the effects of some antioxidants; vitamin E, vitamin C, deferoxamine and the ACE inhibitors [captopril and enalapril] on renal functions and peroxidative changes in glycerol-induced ARF in the rat. Drugs were given before and after induction of ARF by im injection of hypertonic glycerol solution. Serum and urinary urea, creatinine concentrations, urinary/serum urea and creatinine ratios, creatinine clearance, serum malondialdehyde as well as renal reduced glutathione concentrations were estimated. All the above mentioned drugs showed a significant renoprotective effect by improving the marked deterioration of the estimated kidney function tests in the uremic rats