ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF ENDEMIC SIDERITIS LEPTOCLADA AND MENTHA DUMETORUM AQUEOUS EXTRACTS USED IN TURKEY FOLK MEDICINE

Total phenolic contents, hydroxyl radicals and one 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities, antioxidant capacities and reducing powers of Sideritis leptoclada, which is an endemic plant to Turkey, and Mentha × dumetorum were investigated in water extracts. Total phenolic contents were detected to be 0.32 µg gallic acid/µg dry biomass in the presence of 1.33 and 9.82 µg/mL, respectively. Fifty percent scavenging activities of hydroxyl and DPPH radical were determined with 0.03 and 0.16 mg/mL extracts of S. leptoclada and 0.21 and 1.6 mg/mL extracts of Mxdumetorum. In addition, total antioxidant capacities of S. leptoplada were also higher than Mxdumetorum and there was a significant difference between the controls. The result of this study suggests that extracts of S. leptoclada and Mxdumetorum can be used as potential source of natural antioxidants and as a possible food supplement or in the pharmaceutical industry.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The research is focused on the determination of new potential plant sources of antioxidants that can be used as food. Antioxidants are vital substances that possess the ability to protect the body from damage caused by reactive oxygen species induced oxidative stress. In this study, infusions in boiled water of Sideritis leptoclada , which is a plant endemic to Turkey, and Mentha x dumetorum have high levels of antioxidant capacity. The results of the study show that extracts of S. leptoclada and Mxdumetorum can be used as a supplement agent to increase in quality of food and for the pharmaceutical industry.     

SPICES AND HERBS: THEIR ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY AND ITS DETERMINATION1

Throughout the years numerous investigations concerning the inhibition of microorganisms by spices, herbs, their extracts, essential oils and various constituents have been reported. Many of these materials possess significant antimicrobial activity, which in many cases is due primarily to a particular constituent. Interpretation and comparison of results of various studies is complicated by variations in the methodology used for the determination of antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity varies depending on the microorganism, the spice or herb and the test medium. These and other factors are examined in the light of their effect on the outcome of the test method.     

IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTICANCER ACTIVITIES OF EXTRACTS FROM A FERMENTED FOOD

Solvent extracts were prepared from Manda Enzyme®, one of the fermented health foods, and their activities of radical scavenging and cancer cell growth inhibition were evaluated. Manda Enzyme® was extracted with 55% ethanol, and then fractionated into n‐hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol‐soluble and methanol‐insoluble fractions. The antioxidant activities were in the order chloroform > ethyl acetate > other fractions and of each fraction were positively related to the amount of total phenolics and the intensity of brown color. The cancer cell growth inhibitory activities were in the order n‐hexane > chloroform > other fractions. Proliferation of HRT‐18, HCT‐48 and HepG2 human cancer cells was inhibited by the treatment of the n‐hexane fraction of Manda Enzyme® at a concentration of 400 μg/mL to the extent of 75, 89 and 90%, respectively. From these results, it is considered that Manda Enzyme® has chemically different ingredients showing strong antioxidant and anticancer activity in vitro.     

ANTIFUNGAL,AFLATOXIN INHIBITORY AND FREE RADICAL‐SCAVENGING ACTIVITIES OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS EXTRACTS

ABSTRACT

The antifungal, aflatoxin inhibitory and antioxidant activity of methanol–aqueous extract (2:1) of 62 medicinal plants was explored. Based on the antifungal results, the extracts of 25 plants showed more than 50% antifungal activity and were further investigated for their aflatoxin inhibition and antioxidant properties. Methanol–aqueous extracts of Phyllanthus emblica and Terminalia chebula fruits caused 100% inhibition of aflatoxin production by the toxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus in semisynthetic medium at 1 mg/mL. In addition, P. emblica (IC₅₀ = 4.1 µg/mL) and T. chebula (IC₅₀ = 6.9 µg/mL) fruits extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity during the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical‐scavenging assay in comparison with butylated hydroxytoluene (IC₅₀ = 8.1 µg/mL) and butylated hydroxyanisole (IC₅₀ = 6 µg/mL).

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Based on the results of the present study, methanol–aqueous extracts of Phyllanthus emblica and Terminalia chebula, being endowed with strong antifungal, aflatoxin inhibitory and antioxidant activity, may be recommended as plant‐based preservatives for the enhancement of shelf life of food items and their protection from the undesirable harmful effects of molds, aflatoxin and free radical‐mediated damages.     

ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF CORN GLUTEN MEAL SUBSTANCES IN AN EMULSIFIED MEAT MODEL SYSTEM

Corn gluten meal (CGM) and pH adjusted (6.6)/particle size-reduced (∼7μm-MC7; ∼38μm-MC38) CGM increased oxidative and microbiological shelf-life of a model emulsified meat system. After 14 days, TBARS were significantly lower for samples containing MC7 and MC38 when compared to controls, and samples containing soy protein isolate (SPI) or native CGM. Based on aerobic plate counts, MC38 and CGM increased product shelf-life by ∼7days compared to SPI- and MC7-containing products and controls. These results suggest that the use of corn gluten meal substances in an emulsified meat product could create a more shelf stable product. These functional characteristics may make the incorporation of corn gluten meal into foods more feasible.     

罗汉果叶黄酮抗氧化能力研究

采用磷钼络合物法研究了罗汉果叶总黄酮提取物的抗氧化能力。结果表明，该提取物具有很强的抗氧化活性，其抗氧化活性优于人工合成抗氧化剂BHT，是一种值得进一步开发利用的天然抗氧化剂。     

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF PU-ERH TEA EXTRACTS IN VITRO AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE PRESERVATION OF COOLED MUTTON

The inhibitory effect of the extract of pu-erh tea (PETs) against six strains by paper-diffusion methods and the characterization of the mutton treated with different concentrations of the PETs during storage at 7 ± 1C were evaluated in this article. The results showed PETs could significantly inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Streptococcicosis faecalis, Escherichia coli and Bacillus anthraci, and their minimum inhibitory concentration were 0.07, 0.18, 0.50, 0.42 and 0.48 mg/mL, respectively. PETs showed weak inhibition for S. aureus. The cooled mutton treated with PETs resulted in suppression in the increase of total volatile base nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, inhibition of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas growth. The cooled mutton treated with 2% PETs showed highest color and overall acceptability. These results suggest the high potential in using PETs as a means of enhancing freshness and quality in cooled meats.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Antimicrobial activities of microbial fermented tea are much less known than its health beneficial properties. Pu-erh tea is consumed by people as a daily healthy drink all over the world, extracts of pu-erh tea may be safe to use in food systems to extend the shelf life. With the trend of increasing use of natural and biological preservatives in food products, natural antimicrobial agents from pu-erh tea may offer an innovative and interesting measure for such applications.     

CORRELATION AMONG METALLIC IONS,PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION IN MEDICINAL PLANTS EXTRACTS

ABSTRACT

The extracts of three different medicinal plants –Calendula officinalis L., Maytenus ilicifolia Martius ex Reissek and Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf – obtained with 70% and 95% v/v ethanol had their antimicrobial activity tested against five pathogenic microorganisms. A quantitative analysis of total phenols, flavonoids and mineral species was performed on the extracts using UV‐vis spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Klebsiella pneumoniae showed the greatest sensibility to the extracts tested. The mineral content of the medicinal herbs varied according to the type of plant (Cu = not detected to 10.90; Zn = 0.85 to 10.04; Na = 24.94 to 153.62; Al = 90.04 to 420.39; Mg = 9.62 to 1,129.15; Ca = 7.15 to 167.27 and K = 913.85 to 9,578.94 µg/g); however, the concentration of heavy elements (Pb, Cd and Cr) was null in the extracts. The concentrations of flavonoids ranged from 13.55 to 41.54 mg/g and 92.35 to 518.28 mg/g for phenolic acids.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The use of plants with pharmacological activities has increased significantly because of their functional properties in the diet for the promotion of human health and antimicrobial effects. Moreover, medicinal herbs play an important role in public health, especially in developing countries. In Brazil, the use of plant extracts in the treatment of certain diseases is very common. This habit can be explained, at least in part, by the belief that herbs with therapeutic effects do not have toxic effects on the organism. In this paper, ethanolic extracts of three medicinal plants, widely cultivated and used by the population of Brazil and worldwide, had their levels of metals ions and total phenolic compounds determined. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated against foodborne pathogens or food spoilage organisms or clinically isolates microorganisms.

     

INCIDENCE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BACILLUS CEREUS IN MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS CONSUMED IN TURKEY

A total of 100 retail samples of meat and meat products were examined for Bacillus cereus using mannitol egg yolk polymyxin (MYP) agar as a selective isolation medium. Only 22.4% of the samples contained detectable levels of B. cereus, with counts ranging from log₁₀ 0.69 to 4.80 cfu/g, but a large number of other organisms up to log₁₀ 9.06 cfu/g were sometimes observed on the plates and may have masked the presence of B. cereus or inhibited growth. Two samples of soudjouck contained significant levels of B. cereus, sufficient enough to create a public health hazard. Selected isolates were tested for diarrheal enterotoxin production by a reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) test kit. Results showed no difference in the toxin production of B. cereus between beef, ground meat, soudjouck and pastrami samples. Plasmid‐profile analysis and susceptibility to the six commonly used antimicrobial agents were done on selected B. cereus isolates. About 96.4% of the isolates contained plasmids. Plasmid sizes ranged between 2.5 and 3.5 kb. The isolates showed a high rate of resistance to oxacillin (OXA) and amoxicillin (AMC) and a low frequency of resistance to the other antimicrobial agents, with all of them being susceptible to vancomycin (VAN). Approximately 54% of the isolates showed multiple resistance. There was no apparent relationship between drug resistance and carriage of plasmids.     

香菜乙醇提取液的体外抗氧化活性

采用Fenton反应体系产生羟自由基和邻苯三酚自氧化产生超氧阴离子自由基,研究香菜乙醇提取液对两者的清除作用.并以芦丁为时照品,测定其总黄酮含量.结果表明:香菜中总黄酮含量为8.493 mg/g.香菜乙醇提取液对羟自由基和超氧阴离子自由基均有清除作用,半数清除量(IC50)分剐为122.331 mg/L和71.535 mg/L,提取物浓度的添加量在试验范围内与其抗氧化活性呈正相关.     

ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF EMBLICA EXTRACTS OBTAINED BY SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE EXTRACTION AND METHANOL EXTRACTION

ABSTRACT

This study is aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of two extracts of emblica (Phyllanthus emblica L.) obtained by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and methanol extraction. The SFE extract showed strong antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms tested, whereas the methanolic extract showed low activity against Staphylococcus aureus and fungi. In contrast, the methanolic extract exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity than the SFE extract. The SFE extract was analyzed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detector. Thirty compounds were tentatively identified, representing 99.67% of the volatile components. β‐Bourbonene, teracosane, palmitic acid, thymol, β‐caryophyllene and undecane were the major compounds. The methanolic extract was subjected to separation and purification using reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. Kaempferol 3‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (1), kaempferol (2), quercetin (3), isocorilagin (4) and geraniin (5) respectively, were identified by spectral methods, ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometry and mass spectroscopy, and comparison with literatures.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The study can be considered as the first report on the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and methanolic extracts prepared from Phyllanthus emblica. The results introduce a unique natural source that possesses strong antimicrobial and antioxidant substances. The SFE extract had a strong and broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, and in some cases, even found to have similar activity to the antibiotics ampicillin and nystatin. On the other hand, the methanolic extract exhibited quite strong antioxidant activities, which were found to be similar, and in some cases even higher than the reference compound butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Hence, the extracts of P. emblica could be used as a natural preservative ingredient in food and/or pharmaceutical industry.