title: Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of root extract of pepper fruit (Dennetia tripetala), and it's potential for the inhibition of lipid peroxidation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The antioxidant properties of ethanolic root extract of pepper fruit (Donnetia tripetala), and its effect on lipid peroxidation of some fresh beef tissues during frozen storage were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antioxidant parameters were assessed using standard methods, while malondialdehyde levels of different fresh beef tissue sections treated with the extract prior to freezing, were estimated in a colorimetric reaction with thiobarbituric acid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The H2O2-scavenging ability of the extract was similar to that of ascorbic acid, with a maximum scavenging power of 55.61 ±4.98%, and an IC50 value of 86µg/ml. The extract exhibited a concentration-dependent ferric ion-reducing power, although this was significantly lower relative to that of the ascorbic acid (p < 0.05). The total phenolic content was 212.5 ± 0.002 mg/g, while the nitric oxide-scavenging ability was 64.33 ± 0.2% after 150 min. The capacity of the extract to inhibit lipid peroxidation in frozen heart muscle slices was significantly higher than that of vitamin C (p < 0 .05), but comparable to vitamins C and E in frozen testes and kidney slices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the root extract of D. tripetala is rich in antioxidants which can be applied to meat preservation during refrigerated storage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ngozi Paulinus
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Okolie
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria ; Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, 38655 Oxford, Mississippi, USA.
authors.forename: Abiodun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falodun
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oluseyi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Davids
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry*; D002417:Cattle; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005520:Food Preservatives / Q000737:chemistry*; D061353:Food Storage; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005520:Food Preservatives; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antioxidants; Beef; Donnetia tripetala; Root Extract; lipid peroxidation