Planta Med 2010; 76 - P142
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1264440

The screening of antihypertensive and antioxidant activities of tropical fruit seeds

Y Sudjaroen 1, R Owen 2
  • 1Saun Sunandha Rajabhat University, Aesthetic Health Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, 1 U-Thong Nok Road, Wachira, Dusit Bangkok, Thailand
  • 2German Cancer Research Center, Im Neunheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

The aim of this study is to investigate antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts from fruit seeds by DPPH radical scavenging and linoleic acid emulsion methods [1], and to evaluate ACE inhibitory property [2,3] among them. Seeds of Thai fruits were selected for this study. The methanolic extracts (1–20mg/ml) showed antioxidant potential by scavenging DPPH radicals as follows: jambolan plum seeds (0.05–11.05%), litchi seeds (1.71–16.39%), litchi longan seeds (25.49–80.40%), tamarind seeds (20.49–93.14%) and rambutan seeds (67.26–93.48%). The methanolic extracts (1–20mg/ml) also inhibited linoleic acid peroxidation as follows: Indian gooseberry seeds (94–96%), litchi seeds (95–97%), longan seeds (94–97%), rambutan seeds (94–95%) and jambolan plum seeds (85–95%), respectively. The ACE inhibition% of longan seeds, litchi seeds, tamarind seeds were 48.57%, 48.57% and 82.86%, respectively. The degree of ACE inhibition was not related to the concentrations of the extracts. Because it depended on flavanols and high molecular weight procyanidin components, they acted as ACE inhibitors [4]. It is needed to characterize and quantify the phenolic compounds and confirm antioxidant activity and antihypertensive activity of methanolic extract of seeds with other biological methods.

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3. Tomokuni K & Ogata, M. (1972) Clin Chem. 18:349–351.

4. Actis-Goretta, L. et al. (2003) FEBS Lett. 555:597–600.