title: Antioxidant and anti-glycation activities correlates with phenolic composition of tropical medicinal herbs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the contribution of total phenolic content (TPC) in glycation inhibitory activity of common tropical medicinal food and spices with potential antioxidative properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro glucose-bovine serum albumin (BSA) assay was used. Ethanolic extracts of ten common household condiments/herbs (Allium sativum, Zingiber officinale, Thymus vulgaris, Petroselinum crispum, Murraya koenigii Spreng, Mentha piperita L., Curcuma longa L., Allium cepa L., Allium fistulosum and Coriandrum sativum L.) were evaluated for antioxidative activity by 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the TPC, flavonoid and tannins content were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings showed good correlation between TPC/DPPH (r = 0.8), TPC/FRAP (r = 0.8), TPC/anti-glycation (r = 0.9), DPPH/anti-glycation (r = 0.6), FRAP/anti-glycation (r = 0.9), Flavonoid/anti-glycation (r = 0.7) and Tannins/anti-glycation (r = 0.8) and relatively fair correlation for TPC/Flavonoids (r = 0.5) and TPC/Tannins (r = 0.5). Results imply that these plants are potential sources of natural antioxidants which have free radical scavenging activity and might be used for reducing oxidative stress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive glycation inhibitory and antioxidative activities of these tropical herbs suggest a possible role in targeting ageing, diabetic complications and oxidative stress related diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ramkissoon
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mahomoodally
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Subratty
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D003212:Condiments / Q000032:analysis*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis; D006031:Glycosylation / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis*; D010851:Picrates / Q000032:analysis; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D017365:Spices / Q000032:analysis; D013634:Tannins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010851:Picrates; D013634:Tannins; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl