The antioxidative phytochemicals in grains, vegetables, fruits and medicinal plants have received increasing attention for their potential role in prevention of human diseases. The methanol extracts ...of the leaves of eleven
Ficus species growing in Egypt were subjected to free radical scavenging activity using 1,1-diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH
) method. Six methanol extracts of six species showed high activity in order:
Ficus
lyrata Warb.
>
Ficus
afzelli G.
>
Ficus
nitida L.
>
Ficus
virens Ait.
>
Ficus
sycomorus L.
>
Ficus
decora Hort. with SC
50 38.37, 60.22, 61.67, 74.00, 79.50 and 81.62
μg/ml, respectively. The free radical scavenging activity of different fractions obtained from successive fractionation of the six methanol extracts with organic solvents of different polarities; petroleum ether, CHCl
3, EtOAc and
n-BuOH; showed that, the EtOAc and
n-BuOH fractions have the high activity with SC
50
<
50
μg/ml whereas petroleum ether and CHCl
3 fractions have weak activity at SC
50
>
200 and 100
μg/ml, respectively. The EtOAc and
n-BuOH fractions of
F. lyrata showed the strongest free radical scavenging activity on DPPH
with SC
50
=
8.27 and 12.14
μg/ml, respectively and also the highest antioxidant capacity monitored by phosphomolybdenum method (928.48 and 728.53
mg equivalent to ascorbic acid/g extract). Preliminary phytochemical investigation of the six active EtOAc and
n-BuOH fractions guided by review of literatures of this genus showed that phenolic compounds constitute the major components of it. The total phenolic, tannin, flavonoid and flavonol contents of the six active EtOAc and
n-BuOH fractions were measured using the well established methods. Linear correlation between the total antioxidant capacity of the six active EtOAc and
n-BuOH fractions and the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were observed. More
in vivo and
in vitro studies along with detailed photochemical investigation are needed in the hope to can use these species (crude extract, fractions, sub-fractions or pure compounds) in the prevention and therapies of diseases in which oxidants or free radicals are involved.
Context: People all over the world are suffering from cancer. Liver cancer is considered the second most common malignancy among Egyptian men and the sixth most common malignancy among Egyptian ...women. Plant-derived antioxidants are believed to prevent or delay the occurrence of many chronic diseases such as cancer. Ailanthus altissima has been used in many traditional prescriptions. Aims: The current study aimed at investigating the phytochemical profile of A. altissima leaves' extract and its derived fractions, determining their content of phenolics and flavonoids as well as assessing their antioxidant and cytotoxic potential. Materials and Methods: The phytochemical screening was carried out using standard methods. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and flavonol contents were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride, and aluminum chloride/ sodium acetate assays, respectively. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using different in vitro methods: DPPH*, total antioxidant capacity, hydroxyl (*OH), nitric oxide (NO*) radical scavenging activities, and permanganate-reducing antioxidant capacity (PRAC). The antiproliferative potential against HepG2 cells was evaluated using sulforhodamine-B assay (SRB). Results: The results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction had the highest content of phenolics, flavonoids, and flavonols (551.72 ± 1.81 mg GAE/g ext., 371.24 ± 4.36 mg RE/g ext., and 100.47 ± 1.30 mg QE/g ext., respectively). It also had the most potent reducing power (DPPH* SC50 = 7.19 ± 0.05 µg/mL, TAC= 369.88 ± 1.51 mg AAE/g ext., *OH SA = 95.46 ± 0.14%, NO* SA = 40.65 ± 0.91%, and PRAC = 77.19 ± 0.27%). The n-butanol fraction exhibited the most potent cytotoxic potential against HepG2 cells (IC50 = 16.70 µg/mL). Conclusion: A. altissima leaves could be considered potent antioxidant and cytotoxic alternatives.
In the present study, antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of the leaves of seven Egyptian Cassia species was investigated using two methods, the phosphomolyb-date method and 1,1 ...diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity method.· The results revealed that C. glauca is the most potent species and that the activity of other plant species decreases in the following order: C. grandis > C. nodosa > C. fistula > C. didymobtrya > C. occidentalis > C. sophera. Defatted methanolic extract of the most active plant C. glauca was subjected to fractionation using different organic solvents such as CHCl3, EtOAc and BuOH. Antixidant activities of the fractions were investigated and the results showed that ethyl acetate fraction possessed high activity. Total phenolic and flavonoid concentrations of each plant extract were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and aluminum chloride. Correlation between radical scavenging capacities of extracts and total phenolic concentration was observed.
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