Antioxidant and DNA-Protective Potentials, Main Phenolic Compounds, and Microscopic Features of <i>Koelreuteria paniculata</i> Aerial Parts

• Main Authors: Tsvetelina Andonova (Author), Yordan Muhovski (Author), Radka Vrancheva (Author), Ilya Slavov (Author), Elena Apostolova (Author), Samir Naimov (Author), Atanas Pavlov (Author), Ivanka Dimitrova-Dyulgerova (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Interest in plant extracts as a natural source of antioxidants has grown significantly in recent years. The tree species <i>Koelreuteria paniculata</i> deserves attention due to its wide distribution, good adaptability, and growth to the degree of invasiveness in a number of European countries. The purpose of the present study was to analyze flavonoids and phenolic acids of the ethanol extracts from aerial parts of <i>K. paniculata</i> and to screen their antioxidant and DNA-protective activity. HPLC profiling revealed the presence of five flavonoids, with rutin (4.23 mg/g DW), hesperidin (2.97 mg/g DW), and quercetin (2.66 mg/g DW) as the major ones in the leaves, and (−)-epicatechin (2.69 mg/g DW) in the flower buds. Among the nine phenolic acids identified, rosmarinic, <i>p</i>-coumaric, salicylic, vanillic, and gallic acids were the best represented. All the extracts tested showed <i>in vitro</i> antioxidant activity that was determined by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC assays. The highest activity was recorded in the flower parts (in the range from 1133 to 4308 mmol TE/g DW). The DNA-protective capacity of the flower and stem bark extracts from the <i>in vitro</i> nicking assay performed, as well as the main diagnostic microscopic features of the plant substances, are given for the first time. According to the results obtained, the aerial parts of <i>K. paniculata</i> could be valuable sources of natural antioxidants.

Item Description

10.3390/antiox11061154
2076-3921