Study investigates the phytochemical content and antioxidant potential of Dillenia bracteata

Researchers from India evaluated the antioxidant potential of Dillenia bracteata and its effectiveness as treatment for oxidative stress-related diseases. They reported their findings in an article published in the International Journal of Green Pharmacy.

• Oxidative stress is associated with chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, nephrotoxicity, liver cirrhosis, cancers, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize the effects of free radicals, which cause oxidative stress.
• Medicinal plants like D. bracteata are important sources of antioxidants.
• The researchers obtained ethanolic extracts from D. bracteata leaves (EEDB), which they screened for their total phenolic and flavonoid content.
• They also evaluated the antioxidant activities of EEDB using various in vitro assays.
• The researchers reported that EEDB contains glycosides, carbohydrates, triterpenoids, proteins, amino acids, gums, mucilages and flavonoids.
• The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of EEDB were 168.67 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry extract and 61.67 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g dry extract, respectively.
• In the DPPH assay, the percentages of inhibition of EEDB and ascorbic acid at 500 mcg/mL were 74 percent and 83 percent, respectively.
• At the same concentration, the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of EEDB was 67 percent, while ascorbic acid’s was 74 percent.
• EEDB’s nitric oxide radical scavenging activity also reached 69.21 percent, while ascorbic acid’s reached 84.01 percent.
• At 1,000 mcg/mL, the superoxide radical scavenging activity of EEDB was found to be 87 percent, while ascorbic acid’s was 89 percent.
• Meanwhile, in the FRAP assay, the absorbance of EEDB increased with increasing concentration.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that the antioxidant effects of D. bracteata leaves, for which phenolic compounds and flavonoids are responsible, can be used for the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases.

Journal Reference:

Shama SN, Lakshmi SM, Devanna N. PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF DILLENIA BRACTEATA. International Journal of Green Pharmacy. 2019;13(2). DOI: 10.22377/ijgp.v13i2.2492