Effect of salicylic acid on antioxidant activity in milk thistle hairy root cultures

Elicitors can trigger defense responses and activate specific genes involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis. For understanding SA-treatment signaling pathway we determined defense-related compounds and enzymes in S. marianum hairy root cultures. 28 day old hairy roots were treated by salicylic acid [6 mg/50 ml culture] for different times [24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h]. The antioxidant activity was assayed by the 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl stable free radical method and results were calculated based on the IC[50] H[2]O[2], peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activity and total tocopherol content was measured in treated and non-treated hairy root cultures. The highest accumulation of H[2]O[2] was 86.60 micro mol g[-1] DW that was obtained 120 h after elicitation [2-times of non-treated hairy roots]. IC[50] increased upon treatment and was 1.15- times higher than the control 24h after elicitation. The content of total tocopherol content under SA treatment was lower than the control experiments. Maximum activity of peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase were 0.17 and 1.50 micro mol min[-1] mg[-1] protein, 96 and 72 h after elicitation, respectively. Oxidative stress defends system can be activated by salicylic acid in Silybum marianum hairy root cultures. This study suggested that exogenous SA can increase H[2]O[2] content of hairy roots, and induce the expression of antioxidant enzymes and increase secondary metabolite accumulation

[Polyphenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins content and antioxidant activity of qare-qat [vaccinium arctostaphylos L.] from different areas of Iran]

Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. [Ericaceae family], locally named Qare-Qat is a shurb or woody bush which has been extensively used in Iranian folk medicine as antidiabetic and antihypertensitive agents for many years. Phenolics found in leaves and fruits of the plant are a specific group of secondary metabolites that plays an important role of antioxidant activity. Comparative study of phenolics, anthocyanins and flavonoids contents in V. arctostaphylos methanolic extracts and evaluation of antioxidant activities. Leaves and fruits of V. arctostaphylos have been collected from the high altitude areas of Ardabil [Hoor], Gilan [Masouleh and Asalem] and Mazandaran [Kelardasht] provinces in August 2007 and stored at-80°C until metabolites analysis. Then extraction was carried out with acidified methanol and the mixture was used for antioxidant activity and phenolics content assays by UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The data indicated that fruits of Kelardasht genotype had the highest total phenolics content as gallic acid [42.73 +/- 1.5 mg g[-1] DW], anthocyanin content as cyaniding-3-glucoside [1.0 +/- 0.07 mg g[-1]] and antioxidant activity [DPPH assay] of fruits of Kelardasht [IC[50]: 0.14 +/- 0.07 mg ml[-1]] were highest in comparison to other genotypes. Leaves of Masouleh genotype had the highest flavonoid content as quercetin [2.9 +/- 0.07 mg g[-1] DW]. It could be concluded that the leaves and fruits of V. arctostaphylos have high amount of phenolics and antioxidant activity. Therefore, this plant can be a potential source of antioxidant compounds for food and pharmaceutical industry

Determination of tocopherols and fatty acids in seeds of Silybum marianum [L.] gaerth

The dried fruits of Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn [Compositae] contain silymarin, an isomeric mixture of flavonolignans. Silymarin acts as a strong anti -hepatotoxic. This fruits contains a high amount of oil The objective of this study was to determine total lipid content, fatty acid composition and content of different kind of tocopherols in seed oils of S. marianum Fatty acid compositon and a-, y- and ?-tocopherol [vitamin E] content from seeds of Silybum maianum were investigated by gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography methods. and Conclusion: Total lipid percentage was approximately 25% and nine fatty acids including; palmitic acid [8.25%], palmeotic acid [0.07%], Stearic acid [6.67%], oleic acid [31.58%], Isomer oleic acid [0.53%], linoleic acid [45.36%], linolenic acid [0.87%], arashidic acid [4.11%], eicozantoic acid [0.088%] and behenic acid [2.6%] were determined a-, y- and tocopherol content were around 563.157, 88.87 and 163.791 mg Kg -1 DW respectively that could be a natural good sources of antioxidant