Effect of precipitation solvent on some biological activities of polysaccharides from Pinus halepensis Mill. seeds.

This study was designed to evaluate, for the first time, the effect of the precipitation solvent (Acetone, Ethanol, and Propanol) on the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant activities of the polysaccharides extract from Aleppo pine seeds. The antioxidant activity was evaluated with different tests (ABTS, DPPH, metal chelation, ferric reducing power, antiperoxidation and ORAC tests), the anti-inflammatory activity was assessed with three tests (denaturation protein inhibition, antiproteinase and anti-hemolytic tests). Finally, the anticoagulant activity was tested by endogenous and exogenous ways. The three extracts (AP: acetone polysaccharides extract, EP: ethanol polysaccharides extract and PP: propanol polysaccharides extract) have exhibited a very interesting activities but with different degrees. The AP extract was most effective in almost all antioxidant activities (antiradical ABTS and DPPH, metal chelation, reducing power and ORAC), in two in vitro anti-inflammatory and the anticoagulant activities. However, for the lipid antiperoxidation activity, it was the PP extract that gave better activity. The best antiproteinase activity was expressed by the EP extract. These results indicate that polysaccharides of Aleppo pine seed may be considered as a source of bioactive polysaccharides and the precipitation solvent of the polysaccharides has a major effect on the intensity of the bioactivity of these polysaccharides.

Antioxidant activity, carotenoids, chlorophylls and mineral composition from leaves of Pallenis spinosa: an Algerian medicinal plant.

Background Plant and medicinal herbs are important sources of bioactive compounds and minerals that can play a role in preventing various diseases and they are considered a factor indispensable for the proper functioning of the human body. Methods We investigated the content of carotenoids and chlorophylls of leaves from Pallenis spinosa (P. spinosa), as well as their antioxidant activity and mineral composition then, we optimized the solvent extraction for the recovery of total carotenoids and chlorophylls using spectrophotometric method. Finally, we tested the antioxidant activity of the optimized extract by three assays (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP) and we determined the mineral composition by Emission Spectrometer Induced Couple Plasma (ICP). Results Carotenoid (CART), chlorophylls (CHLa + b), chlorophyll a (CHLA), chlorophyll b (CHLB) contents were about 36.337 ± 0.312; 347.769 ± 6.326; 224.286 ± 5.601; 123.483 ± 1.339 mg/100 g dw, respectively. We revealed an interesting antioxidant capacity by the tested extract (DPPH: 127.522 ± 1.406 mmol ET/Kgdw, ABTS: 104.827 ± 1.222 mmol ET/Kgdw and FRAP 71.89 ± 0.495 ± 0.994 mmol ET/Kgdw). Carotenoids and chlorophylls content correlate positively with the antioxidant activity of P. spinosa leaves extract (r=0.646-0.986). Eight minerals have been detected (Mg, Ca, P, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Cr), Mg and Ca being the predominant ones (6479.32 ± 48.33 and 3851.88 ± 130.63 mg/Kg, respectively). Conclusions These results have shown that P. spinosa leaves are a good source of carotenoids and chlorophylls with a potent antioxidant potential with high amount of minerals.

Characterization and optimization of extracellular L-Asparaginase production by selected Actinomycete strain isolated from an algerian wheat bran.

L-Asparaginase is an enzyme that hydrolyses the amino acid L-Asparagine into aspartic acid and ammonia. As a medication, L-Asparaginase is used in chemotherapy to treat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by depleting circulating Asparagine and depriving tumor cells. Interest in Actinomycetes as potential producers of antibiotics and enzymes encouraged us to investigate an isolated strain (CA01) from soft wheat bran.The Actinomycete strain was characterized based on its morphological and biochemical characteristics and selected due to a proved promising ability to produce L-Asparaginase optimized in both solid and liquid media cultures.The conditions of enzyme production were standardized according to a one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) experimental design.To obtain optimal medium combination, a Box-Behnken Response Surface Methodology (RSM) has been adopted by choosing the most influential factors. The optimal conditions for the enzyme production were (g/l): L-Asparagine 10.7; Glucose 2.7; starch 7, in based medium containing (g/l): K2HPO4 0.5; MgSO4, 7H2O 0.1, corresponding to an optimal enzymatic activity of 8.03 IU/ml at 27.83°C. The maximum production of enzyme was reached on the sixth day of experiment. The ANOVA test (P value ˂ 0.05) and adjusted R2 values close to the experimental R2 show that the obtained model of the active L-Asparaginase of CA01 strain production is significant with the following linear terms: temperature, substrate concentration, Glucose concentration and there squared.

Phytochemical analysis of Myrtus communis plant: Conventional versus microwave assisted-extraction procedures.

Background Myrtle (Myrtus communis L) may constitute an interesting dietary source of health protective compounds. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of total phenolic compounds (TPC) from myrtle leaf, stems, pericarp, and seeds was studied and the results were compared with those of the conventional method extraction (CME) in terms of extraction time. Methods Extraction yield/efficiency and antioxidant activity were measured using radical scavenging assay (DPPH•) and reducing power. Results The results show that the MAE was higher in terms of saving energy, extraction time (62 s) and extraction efficiency of bioactive compound compared to CME (2 h). Leaf presented the optimum content of total phenols (250 mg GAE.g-1 DW) and flavonoids (13.65 mg GAE.g-1 DW). However, the anthocyanin content was most important in pericarp extract (176.50±2.17 mg Cyd-3-glu g-1 DW). The antioxidant activity was important in all parts, mainly in leaves. The results indicated that appropriate microwave treatment could be an efficient process to phenolic compounds recovery and thus, better the antioxidant activity of myrtle extract. Conclusions Principal component analysis (PCA) applied to the experimental data shows that the distribution of the myrtle phenolic compounds depended on their plant part localization as well as the extraction method.

Antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of two Algerian Mentha species M. rotundifolia (L.) Huds, M. pulegium L., extracted with different solvents.

Background It is important to consider the optimum conditions and processing factors (like solvent type) influencing activity of plant antioxidants for utilization in food and biological systems. Methods The antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of two Mentha species, namely, Mentha pulegium L. (MP) and Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds (MR), were studied and six solvent systems were used. The total antioxidant capacity of the mint species extracts was evaluated using phosphomolybdenum method and the free radical-scavenging capacity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging assay. Results The efficiency of the used solvents to extract phenols from the two species varied considerably. The highest total phenolic content was obtained from methanol extract of MP (25.3±1.3 mg GAE/gdw) and total flavonoid content from methanol extract of MR (10.1±0.1 mg QE/gdw). High phenol content was significantly correlated with high antioxidant capacity. The methanol extracts showed the highest radical scavenging activity. All the extracts showed variable antioxidant capacity by the formation of phosphomolybdenum complex. Acetone extract of MP and methanol extract of MR exhibited marked reducing power in this method. Conclusions Our findings identified the appropriate solvent for extracting MP and MR phenolics which might provide a rich source of natural antioxidants.

Phenolic compounds from Citrus leaves: antioxidant activity and enzymatic browning inhibition.

Background Phenolic compounds from Citrus are known to be a topic of many studies due to their biological properties including antioxidant activity. Methods Methanolic and aqueous extracts were isolated from Citrus leaves of different species (C. clementina, C. limon, C. hamlin, C. navel, C. aurantifolia, C. aurantium and C. grandis) harvested in Algeria. Results The results showed that aqueous extracts of all species are rich in total phenolic compounds and flavonoids (from 68.23 to 125.28 mg GAE/g DM) and (from 11.99 to 46.25 mg QE/g DM) respectively. The methanolic and aqueous extracts were examined for in vitro antioxidant properties using various antioxidant assays. For aqueous extracts, C. limon showed an important DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50 35.35 µg/mL), and C. clementina exerted the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity (1,174.43 µM ET/g DM) and a significant ferric reducing potential (30.60 mg BHAE/g DM). For methanolic extracts, C. clementina showed the highest antioxidant activity for all the realized assays (IC50 41.85 µg/mL, 378.63 µM ET/g DM and 13.85 mg BHAE/g DM) for DPPH, ABTS radicals scavenging activities and ferric reducing potential respectively. Antiperoxidase and antipolyphenol oxidase activities of these samples were also evaluated. Conclusions In this investigation, the assessment of antiperoxidase activity proved that the leaves extracts of different species were able to inhibit peroxidase activity. However, this inhibition varied with the species and the source of these enzymes. On the other hand, the aqueous extracts of different species showed moderate inhibition of polyphenol oxidase, while no effect on these enzymes was obtained with methanolic extracts.

Some physicochemical characteristics of pinus (Pinus halepensis Mill., Pinus pinea L., Pinus pinaster and Pinus canariensis) seeds from North Algeria, their lipid profiles and volatile contents.

Physicochemical characteristics of seeds of some pinus species (Pinus halepensis Mill., Pinus pinea L., Pinus pinaster and Pinus canariensis) grown in North Algeria were determined. The results showed that the seeds consist of 19.8-36.7% oil, 14.25-26.62% protein, 7.8-8.6% moisture. Phosphorus, potassium and magnesium were the predominant elements present in seeds. Pinus seed's oil physicochemical properties show acid values (4.9-68.9), iodine values (93.3-160.4) and saponification values (65.9-117.9). Oil analysis showed that the major unsaturated fatty acids for the four species were linoleic acid (30-59%) and oleic acid (17.4-34.6%), while the main saturated fatty acid was palmitic acid (5-29%). Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry analysis of P. halepensis Mill., P. pinaster and P. canariensis volatile oils indicated that the major volatile compound was the limonene with relative percentage of 3.1, 7.5 and 10.8, respectively.

Fucans from a Tunisian brown seaweed Cystoseira barbata: structural characteristics and antioxidant activity.

Sulfated polysaccharides from brown seaweeds are known to be a topic of numerous studies, due to their beneficial biological properties including antioxidant activity. Fucans were isolated from the brown seaweed Cystoseira barbata harvested in Tunisia. ATR-FTIR and (1)H-NMR spectroscopies demonstrated that C. barbata sulfated polysaccharides (CBSPs) consisted mainly of 3-linked-α-l-fucopyranosyl backbone, acetylated and mostly sulfated at C-4. Molar degrees of sulfation and acetylation of CBSPs were 0.79 and 0.27, respectively. Neutral sugars analysis determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that CBSPs were mainly composed of fucose (44.6%) and galactose (34.32%) with few amounts of other sugars such as glucose (7.55%), rhamnose (6.41%), xylose (4.21%) and mannose (2.91%). CBSPs were examined for in vitro antioxidant properties using various antioxidant assays. CBSPs exhibited important DPPH radical-scavenging activity (100% inhibition at a concentration of 1.5mg/ml) and considerable ferric reducing potential (24.62 mg ascorbic acid equivalents). Effective chelating activity and significant protection activity against hydroxyl radical induced DNA breakage were also recorded for CBSPs. However, in the linoleate-ß-carotene system, CBSPs exerted moderate antioxidant activity (62% inhibition at a concentration of 1.5mg/ml). Therefore, CBSPs can be used as a potent natural antioxidant in food industry or in the pharmaceutical field.