A Study of the free radicals scavenging activity of the roots and steams of Eichhornia crassipes Mart from Syria

التأثير المضاد للأكسدة لنبات زهرة النيل

Abstract

Background & Objective: Eichhornia crassipes is one of the most common harmful floating water plants. Although its harmful effects on the environment, it is used traditionally to treat wounds and cancer. Also, researches showed that it has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and antioxidant activities. Eichhornia crassipes includes many chemical compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids, sterols, and glycosides. This plant started to invasion water sources in Syria, Alassi river and Abu Qubais dam, because of that. Our research aimed to investigate Eichhornia crassipes therapeutical effects.

Materials & Methods: Roots and steams of Eichhornia crassipes were extracted by gradient polarity solvents (methanol 80%, ethyl acetate and chloroform), and extraction yields were calculated. Then, phenols and flavonoids in these extracts were evaluated, and their concentrations were calculated as equivalents of gallic acid and quercetine, respectively. After that, free radicals scavenging activity was determined using DPPH^•, and the correlations between this activity and the phenols and flavonoids contents were assessed.

Results: Phenolic compounds and flavonoids concentrations in roots were higher than steams, and ethyl acetate extracts of each part had the highest concentrations. These concentrations were 705 mg GAE/g DE and 235 mg QE/g DE respectively, in the ethyl acetate extracts which have the highest ability in scavenging the free radicals (RSA = 61% in 30 minutes).

Conclusions: This research showed that Eichhornia crassipes roots and steams have antioxidant activity as free radicals scavengers, because of phenolic compounds especially flavonoids which have been evaluated in the extracts.