Antioxidant activity, phenolic-flavonoid content and high-performance liquid chromatography profiling of three different variants ofSyzygium cuminiseeds: A comparative study.
BACKGROUND
The medicinally important phytochemicals present inSyzygium cuminiseeds probably accounts for its wide use in traditional systems of medicines in India, like Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to determine the antioxidant potential of three different geographical variants ofS. cuminiseeds and to compare the phenolic profiling to know the effect of geographical variation in phenolic composition.


METHODS
Total phenolic and flavonoid content ofS. cuminiseeds were analyzed. Antioxidant activities in terms of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), nitric oxide and superoxide radical scavenging assays were performed. The most active fractions were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiling to identify the phenolic composition.


RESULTS
Among all the fractions, 70% methanol fraction ofS. cuminiseed showed significant antioxidant potential. There existed a linear correlation between phenolic content and antioxidant activity. HPLC profiling of 70% methanol (ME) fractions of all the variants revealed the presence of phenolic compounds with high concentrations of ellagic acid and gallic acid. The differences in phenolic concentration due to geographical changes might be the reason for higher antioxidant potential showed by 70% ME of Trivandrum variant.


CONCLUSIONS
70% methanolic fraction ofS. cuminican act as a novel source of natural antioxidant.
Department of Biochemistry, Agroprocessing and Technology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
Syama Hari
SH
Priya
Department of Biochemistry, Agroprocessing and Technology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
Nisha
N
Prakasan
Department of Biochemistry, Agroprocessing and Technology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
Jayamurthy
J
Purushothaman
Antioxidant activity; Syzygium cumini; high-performance liquid chromatography; total flavonoid content; total phenolic content