title: Antioxidant capacity and antimutagenic potential of Murraya koenigii.
abstract: It is well known that the intake of antioxidants with increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and medicinal herbs contributes towards reduced risk of certain diseases including cancers. This study aims to evaluate the broad-spectrum antioxidant and antimutagenic activities as well as to elucidate phytochemical profile of an Indian medicinal plant Murraya koenigii (curry) leaves. Leaves of the plant were successively fractionated in various organic solvents. Benzene fraction demonstrated the highest phenolic content followed by petroleum ether. The benzene fraction showed maximum antioxidant activity in all tested assays, namely, phosphomolybdenum, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays. Based on the promising broad-spectrum antioxidant activity, benzene fraction was further evaluated for antimutagenic activity and showed a dose-dependent antimutagenic response in Ames Salmonella mutagenicity assay. It inhibited 72-86% mutagenicity induced by sodium azide, methyl methanesulfonate, benzo(a)pyrene, and 2-aminoflourene at the maximum tested concentration (100 μg/mL) in Salmonella typhimurium tester strains. At least 21 compounds were detected by GC/MS. The findings clearly demonstrated that phenolic-rich benzene fraction has promising broad-spectrum antioxidant and antimutagenic property and needs further evaluation to exploit its therapeutic potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zahin
authors.forename: Farrukh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aqil
authors.forename: Fohad Mabood
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.forename: Iqbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
mesh_terms: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D032101:Murraya / Q000737:chemistry*; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010851:Picrates / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl