Antioxidant Properties, Characterization of Nutrients, and Phytochemistry of Seven Medicinal Plants

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10810009-3130/16/5206-1081 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York
Chemistry of Natural Compounds, Vol. 52, No. 6, November, 2016
ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES, CHARACTERIZATION OF NUTRIENTS,
AND PHYTOCHEMISTRY OF SEVEN MEDICINAL PLANTS
Ayse Dilek Ozsahin1* and Oguz Ayhan Kirecci2
Many medicinal plants contain large amounts of antioxidants such as polyphenols, which can play an important role
in adsorbing and neutralizing free radicals. Medicinal plants have been used to treat human diseases for thousands of years.
People are becoming increasingly interested in medicinal plants because of their good therapeutic performance and low
toxicity [1].
The aims of the present work are to study the antioxidant potential of seven medicinal plants traditionally used in
Turkey (Castanea sativa, Teucrium polium, Galium aparine, Fumaria officinalis, Dracunculus vulgaris, Equisetum arvense,
and Cuscuta sp.), characterize their nutrients and phytochemical composition, and investigate the relationship between phenolic
content and antioxidant activity.
Antioxidant Capacity of the Plant Samples. Overall, among the medicinal plants analyzed in the present study,
C. sativa, T. polium, and Cuscuta sp. showed the highest antioxidant activity in all the tested assays (Table 1). There are also
some reports in the literature on the antioxidant effects of these medicinal plants [2–5]. Our results also revealed that the
studied medicinal herbs clearly exhibit a higher antioxidant activity and contain significantly more phenolics than the common
vegetables and fruits.
Lipid Peroxidation (LPO). The results here show that, in general, plants can be a good source of antioxidants that
would help increase the overall antioxidant capacity of an organism and protect it against lipid peroxidation (Fig. 1).
1) Bitlis Eren University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Biology Dept., 13000, Turkey, fax: +90434 2229143,
e-mail: molekuler@gmail.com; 2) Bitlis Eren University, Hizan Vocational School, Plant and Animal Production Dept., H13000,
Turkey, fax: +90434 2229140. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, November–December, 2016, pp. 931–933.
Original article submitted February 2, 2015.
Fig. 1. The levels of MDA-TBA in the environments of
Fenton reagent and Fenton reagent with plant extracts
(Fenton R: Fenton reagent) cdp<0.0001, dp<0.001, cp<0.01,
bp<0.05. Control (1); Fenton R (2); C. sativa (3);
T. polium (4); G. aparine (5); F. officinalis (6); D. vulgaris (7);
E. arvense (8); Cuscuta sp. (9).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
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MD
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DOI 10.1007/s10600-016-1866-2

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Total Phenolics and Phenolic Acids of Plant Samples. Phenolic acid analysis showed that vanillic acid and ferulic
acid were present in all the plant samples (Table 2). When the total phenolic compound (such as flavonoids, resveratrol) levels
were compared in accordance with the results, it was found that C. sativa and E. arvense plants contained significantly higher
levels of phenolic compounds (Table 2).
Analysis of Fatty Acids. The major fatty acids in the plant extracts were palmitic acid (16:0), oleic acid (18:1), and
linoleic acid (18:2). The linolenic acid (18:3) was found in all the plant samples except D. vulgaris (Table 3).
TABLE 1. DPPH· and ABTS· Scavenger Effect of Plant Extracts, %
Concentration, PL C. sativa T. polium G. aparine F. officinalis D. vulgaris E. arvense Cuscuta sp.
DPPH· scavenger effect
10 65.93 94.09 22.71 32.18 15.12 90.13 72.10
20 72.02 92.39 41.75 80.21 18.27 92.21 87.98
40 92.56 94.64 72.47 83.91 22.33 89.30 91.39
80 88.71 88.24 75.43 82.15 24.18 89.25 92.93
200 76.92 81.26 69.72 74.07 30.54 61.08 91.88
ABTS· scavenger effect
10 99.43 97.80 52.08 87.62 13.56 98.90
98.96
20 98.90 97.65 78.118 95.92 10.10 99.06 99.79
40 92.70 98.74 93.10 95.30 43.31 97.65 98.59
80 94.89 98.90 91.23 97.96 49.26 90.29 96.08
200 92.01 98.80 80.48 99.12 94.20 75.99 97.49
TABLE 2. Total Phenolics and Phenolic Acids Content of Plant Extracts, Pg/g
Parameter C. sativa T. polium G. aparine F. officinalis D. vulgaris E. arvense Cuscuta sp.
Total phenolics 129.49 112.05 21.79 50.14 0.316 128.16 106.0 9
Vanillic acid 3.607 617 1 999 999 415 3.65 7
Caffeic acid 384 – 60 1.950 2 – 2.379
Ferulic acid 1 196 18 229 1 3 466
Rosmarinic acid 5 8 1 4 – 13
–
2-Hydroxycinnamic acid 13 – – 7 – –
10
TABLE 3. Content of Fatty Acids in Plant Extracts, mg/g
Fatty acid C. sativa T. polium G. aparine F. officinalis D. vulgaris E. arvense Cuscuta sp.
14:0 – – – – –
1.063 r 0.06 1.06 r 0.06
14:1 –
0.515 r 0.08 – – –
0.39 r 0.01 0.39 r 0.01
16:0 22.76 r 8.5 19.06 r 11.2 35.60 r 13.6* 19.51 r 8.43 21.36 r 8.12 18.97 r 2.43 18.97 r 2.43
16:1 2.83 r 0.08 2.51 r 0.14 3.96 r 0.67 – –
1.81 r 0.08 1.81 r 0.08
17:0 –
0.41 r 0.05 – – –
0.33 r 0.01 0.33 r 0.01
18:0 2.40 r 0.05 2.53 r 0.13 1.80 r 0.09 3.69 r 0.82 7.47 r 1.23 3.77 r 1.04 3.77 r 1.04
18:1 40.14 r 18.4* 12.42 r 5.67 6.72 r 0.14 14.82 r 4.66 19.45 r 5.42 13.46 r 3.65 13.46 r 3.65
18:2 20.69 r 9.5 34.63 r 18.3 18.94 r 6.54 53.42 r 18.2* 37.45 r 16.7 46.60 r 24.1** 46.60 r 24.1**
18:3 1.17 r 0.08 12.79 r 3.87 45.46 r 15.4* 8.53 r 0.24 – 5.66 r 1.02 5.66 r 1.02
20:0 –
1.47 r 0.06 – – –
1.38 r 0.07 1.38 r 0.07
21:0 –
1.52 r 0.07 – – – – –
20:4 1.06 r 0.06 3.33 r 0.15 – – – – –
22:1 1.53 r 0.08 1.31 r 0.06 – – –
1.23 r 0.05 1.23 r 0.05
22:2 7.12 r 1.06 – – – – – –
24:1 –
1.04 r 0.04 – – –
0.58 r 0.03 0.58 r 0.03
______
*p < 0.0001, **p < 0.001.

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Analysis of Vitamins and Phytosterols. According to the result of the vitamin and phytosterol analysis, vitamin D3,
R-tocopherol,
D
-tocopherol, ergosterol, stigmasterol, and
E
-sitosterol were observed in all the plant samples (Table 4).
The results here also show in general that plants rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds can be a good source of
antioxidants that can help to increase the overall antioxidant capacity of an organism and protect it against lipid peroxidation.
Preparation of the Plant Extracts. The medicinal plant samples were bought from a herb and spice seller in Malatya
as dehydrated and ground powder.
Antioxidative Activity Testing of the Plant Extracts. Antioxidative activities of the plant extracts were determined
by the method of Shimoi et al. [6] with the following modifications.
DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity. The free radical scavenging effect in the extracts was assessed by the decoloration
of a methanolic solution of DPPH· according to the method of Brand–Williams et al. [7].
ABTS Radical Scavenging Activity. The ABTS test was performed according to the methodology as reported by Re et al. [8].
Determination of Total Phenolic Content. Total phenolic content was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method [9].
Lipid Extraction. Lipid extraction of plant samples was performed with hexane–isopropanol (3:2 v/v) by the method
of Hara and Radin [10].
HPLC Analysis of ADEK Vitamins and Sterol Amount. 5% KOH was added to the plant sample, which was
homogenized with hexane–isopropanol alcohol mixture (at 3:2 v/v ratio) and then hydrolyzed at 85qC. The extract was treated
with n-heptane and analyzed with HPLC device [11].
Statistical Analysis. SPSS 15.0 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. Analysis of variance (ANOVA)
and least significant difference (LSD) tests were also used for the comparison of groups with the control group.
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TABLE 4. Content of Vitamins and Phytosterols in Plant Extracts, mg/g
Vitamin and
Phytosterol C. s ativa T. polium G. aparine F. officinalis D. vulgaris E. arvense Cuscuta sp.
Vitamin K1 –
11.4 r 2.34* 1 r 0.03 4.1 r 0.78 2.9 r 0. 32 15.8 r 4.71* 0.3 r 0.001
Vitamin K2 0.7 r 0.001 0. 6 r 0.00 4 0. 1 r 0. 00 1 3.2 r 0.87** 0 .3 r 0.001 0.8 r 0.03 –
Vitamin D2 –
0.2 r 0.001 0.2 r 0.001 – 2.6 r 0.0 6 – –
Vitamin D3 0.5 r 0.001 0. 2 r 0.00 1 0. 1 r 0.00 1 0.2 r 0.001 0.4 r 0.001 0.8 r 0.003 0.2 r 0.01
D
-Tocopherol 36.5 r 10.2 1* 0.7 r 0.003 0.4 r 0.002 1.4 r 0.65 0.2 r 0.001 21.4 r 7.32* 0.5 r 0.002
R-Tocopherol 1.2 r 0.03 10.7 r 1.23 0.2 r 0.001 0.5 r 0.003 0.2 r 0.001 1.5 r 0.04 0.3 r 0.001
Ergosterol 10 r 4.12 – 1.2 r 0.07 14.8 r 6.12** 14.1 r 0.51** 15.1 r 4.35** –
E
-Sitostero l 56.4 r 14.16 5.9 r 1.76 39.6 r 12.11 48.1 r 13.3 30.9 r 9.15 133.6 r 27.2* –
Stigmasterol 78 r 15.87* 8.3 r 2.56 6.3 r 1. 12 53 .8 r 15.42* 24.7 r 8.33 – –
______
*p < 0.0001, **p < 0.001.