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DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-986957
Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Tamus communis L. ssp. cretica (L.) Kit Tan
Aim: Tamus communis L. ssp. cretica (L.) Kit Tan (Dioscoreaceae), is a perennial herbaceous climbing plant with large fleshy tubers [1]. The aim of work was to examine antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of T. communis. ssp. cretica.
Methods: The applied methods for the antioxidant activity of aqueous extract from the aerial parts of the plant were DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging, flow injection analysis-luminol chemiluminescence (FIA-CL) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA). The antimicrobial activity of the n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of the aerial parts of T. communis ssp. cretica was assessed towards selected bacteria. In addition, mineral composition of the raw plant was examined by atomic absorption spectroscopy.
Main Results: DPPH free radical scavenging activity of the plant (IC50=2.85±1.30mg/ml) was the weakest antioxidant activity comparing with BHT and quercetin. In FIA-CL system, the aqueous extract has a weak antioxidant activity for H2O2 (log IC50=3.8±0.09mg/ml) and HOCl (log IC50=1.3×10-3±4.9×10-4 mg/ml) compared with ascorbic acid. In the TBA assay, the aqueous extract exerted the weakest antioxidant activity (IC50=3.82±1.67µg/mL) compared to propil gallat. The total phenolic content was 56.66±0.21mg/g. The extracts showed moderate activity with MIC values of 250–500µg/ml against selected microorganisms. According to our results of mineral composition, the raw plant has low amount of toxic elements (Pb, Cd and Al), macro- (Ca and Mg) and microelements (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn).
Conclusion: T. communis ssp. cretica has a weak antioxidant activity and moderate antimicrobial activities against selected organisms.
References: [1] Kit Tan (1984) Tamus L. In: „Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands“, Vol. 8, ed. by P.H. Davis, University Press, Edinburgh, pp. 552–554.