engleski

SUPEROXIDE RADICAL SCAVENGING PROPERTIES OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS FROM PLANTS OF CENTAUREA GENUS

Exogenous chemical and endogenous metabolic processes in the human body or in food system might produce highly reactive free radicals, especially oxygen derived radicals, which are capable of oxidizing biomolecules, resulting in cell death and tissue damage. Oxidative damages play a significantly pathological role in human diseases such as cell damage, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis and aging. Superoxide anion radical is one of the most important and biologically relevant ROS radicals in living organisms. This radical formed in aerobic cells due to electron leakage from the electron transport chain. Superoxide radicals are also formed by activated phagocytes such as monocytes, macrophages, eosinophils and neutrophils and the production of Superoxide radicals is an important factor in the killing of bacteria by phagocytes. In living organisms, Superoxide radical is removed by the enzymes called superoxide dismutases (SOD). However, antioxidant supplements or foods containing antioxidants may be used to help the human body reduce oxidative damage. Antioxidants have been widely used as food additives to provide protection against oxidative degradation of foods. Therefore, antioxidants play a very important role in the food industry. Synthetic antioxidants, such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and tertbutylhydroquinone (TBHQ) are widely used in the food industry, but BHA and BHT have suspected of being responsible for liver damage and carcinogenesis. Therefore, the development and utilization of more effective antioxidants of natural origin are desired. The aim of this investigation was to test superoxide anion scavenging activity of volatile compounds isolated from Centaurea plants using a new method, we named WST method. In this method, pyrogallol (1, 2, 3-hydroxybenzene) was used as Superoxide radicals generating system and as well as WST-1 (2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2, 4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium sodium salt) which can be reduced by superoxide anion radical to a stable water-soluble formazan with a high absorbance at 450 nm. In presence of antioxidant a scavenging of radicals as well as a lower absorbance were registered. Results were showed a good a superoxide anion scavenging activity of volatile compounds from plants of Centaurea genus in comparison to a well known antioxidant-Vitamin C. The strongest activity was showed a C. spinosociliata essential oil (Kozjak, Split) with 70.3 % inhibition of superoxide anion generation, while the lowest activity was showed a C. ragusina essential oil (Palagruža Island) with 43.5 % inhibition.

Centaurea ; volatiles ; superoxide anion scavenging activity

nije evidentirano