104C-1 |
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from three sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa) cultivars |
K. R. LAMBERT, Dept. of Chemistry, Univ. of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica, M. G. Nair, National Food Safety & Toxicology Center, Michigan State Univ., Bioactive Natural Products Lab., 173 Food Safety & Toxicology Bldg., East Lansing, MI 48824-1302, and J. C. Jackson, National Food Technology Research Centre, Private Bag 008, Kanye, Botswana. Recently, there has been increased interest in research on anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds because of their possible linkage to health benefits such as reduction in heart disease and cancer because of their antioxidant activity. These compounds may also provide additional benefits, including anti-inflammatory activity to relieve pain, by blocking the production of specific chemicals in the body that cause localized tissue inflammation. This study will evaluate the antioxidant and cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) activity of the hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of three cultivars of sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa). The three cultivars of sorrel, traditional red (TRED), early bearing red (ERED) and white (WHTE) were sequentially extracted using hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by fluorescence spectroscopy using a model liposome system and the COX inhibitory activity was measured using microsomal suspensions of the enzymes and monitoring the rate of oxygen uptake in prostaglandin synthesis. As expected, the percentage inhibition of peroxidation was highest overall in the red cultivars compared to the white. The methanol extracts for both TRED and ERED cultivars had the highest inhibition (80% and 77%, respectively), followed by the hexane extracts (74% and 66%, respectively), then the ethyl acetate extracts (65% for both). The methanol extract for the white cultivar had the highest inhibition, (56%). The COX inhibitory activity findings indicated that the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of the three cultivars of sorrel had a higher COX-1 inhibition than COX-2. In all samples, the hexane extracts showed no COX inhibitory activity. This research suggests that sorrel has antioxidant and high COX-1 inhibitory properties. These results may be valuable in improving the diets and health of the population. However, further research to investigate the biological activity of the components in-vivo is required.
Session 104C, Fruit & Vegetable Products: Vegetables (Processed)
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