THE SCREENING OF ECHINOPHORA TOURNEFORTH JAUP& SPACH FOR TOXICITY, ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES, PHENOLIC PROFILE AND MINERAL ELEMENTS

Abstract

Echinophora plants are used for the treatment of various diseases in folk medicine and for imparting flavor to food. The present study outlines the antioxidant and toxic activity, total phenol, flavonoid content and phenolic profile of the ethanol extract of E. tournefortii in addition to evaluating its mineral elements. The antioxidant activities of E. tournefortii was investigated using different methods (radical scavenging methods, total antioxidant test systems, metal chelating and power reducing assays). The phenolics were determined using HPLC and some mineral elements (Mn, Na, B, S, Zn, Fe and Cu) were evaluated. The ethanol extract was able to reduce ABTS and DPPH radicals with 96.52 and 169.45 mu g/mL respectively as well as exhibit the chelating and reducing ability (38.15% and 0.15mg/mL respectively). The inhibition value of linoliec acid oxidation was calculated as 87.46% and antioxidant (phosphomolybdenum) activity of the E. tournefortii was 45.74 mu g/mg. The HPLC results determined major phenolics: 2,5 dihydroxybenzoic, rutin and caffeic acid. In addition, E. tournefortii also have rich in polyphenolic content together with toxic activity. These results could prove the potential use of this plant as a food ingredient and/or as a natural antioxidant in the human diet and for medicinal applications.