Capparis ovata Desf. and Cynara cardunculus L. ssp. cardunculus are edible plants from Calabria (Italy) traditionally used in local medicine. The antioxidant activity of the samples was carried out using three different in vitro assays. The plant aerial parts were air dried at room temperature and then extracted with 70% aqueous EtOH through maceration. In order to determine the radical scavenging potency the extracts were investigated with the DPPH assay [1]. The antioxidant activity was assessed by the bovine brain peroxidation assay and the ß-carotene bleaching test. The lipid peroxidation activity was evaluated using the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test [2,3]. Total extracts were tested for their activity against liposomes which were prepared from bovine brain extract in phosphate buffered saline. In the ß-carotene bleaching test the ability of samples to inhibit the linoleic acid oxidation was investigated [4]. As regard the free radical (DPPH) scavenging activity, Capparis ovata Desf. extract showed an IC50 of 114µg/mL while Cynara cardunculus L. ssp. cardunculus exhibited an IC50 value of 72µg/mL. Using liposomes prepared from bovine brain extract, Capparis ovata Desf. and Cynara cardunculus L. ssp. cardunculus showed a good activity with IC50 value of 86µg/mL and 37µg/mL respectively. In the ß-carotene bleaching test both Capparis ovata and Cynara cardunculus showed a good activity (IC50 value of 9µg/mL and 12µg/mL after 30min, and IC50 value of 16µg/mL and 15µg/mL after 60min of incubation). Total phenolics and flavonoids content was also evaluated and correlated to biological activities [5,6].
References: [1] Wang, M. et al. (1998) J. Agric. Food Chem. 46: 4869. [2] Fernandez, J. et al. (1997) Food Chem. 59: 345. [3] Conforti, F. et al. (2002) Fitoterapia. 73: 479. [4] Amin, I. et al. (2004) Food Chem. 87: 581. [5] Singleton, V.L. et al. (1965) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 16: 144. [6] Quettier-Deleu, C. et al. (2000) J Ethnopharmacol. 72: 35.
