Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science - An open access, peer reviewed international journal covering all aspects of Nutrition and Food Science

Bioactive Constituents and Radical Scavenging Properties of Punica granatum L. root Extracts: Focus on Antioxidant and α-amylase Inhibitory Activities

Manjunathan Jagadeesan^1*,  Pramila Radhakrishnan², Aswathy Sasikala¹, Maheswara Reddy Mallu³, Yuvaraj Dinakarkumar¹

¹Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Vels Institute of Science; Technology and Advanced Studies (VISTAS), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

²Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology; S.D. N. B Vaishnav College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai, Tamil Nadu; India

³Department of Biotechnology, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Corresponding Authors E-mail: jmanjunathan@gmail.com

Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) root extracts were investigated for their phytochemical composition and biological activities, focusing on antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties. Various extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol, methanol, and aqueous) were prepared from roots collected from the Kothagiri Hill region. Phytochemical screening revealed that aqueous, ethanol, and methanol extracts yielded the highest concentrations of bioactive compounds, including punicalin and punicalagin. The aqueous extract demonstrated superior antioxidant activities across multiple assay systems, including DPPH radical scavenging (81.88 ± 0.58%), hydroxyl radical scavenging (79.4 ± 1.24%), nitric oxide reducing power (0.42), hydrogen peroxide scavenging (89%), and oxide scavenging (82.1 ± 0.06%), compared to standard antioxidants like BHT and ascorbic acid. The extract's antioxidant efficacy was dose-dependent, with maximum activity at higher concentrations. For anti-diabetic potential, the aqueous extract exhibited significant α-amylase inhibitory activity (88%), suggesting its potential role in glucose metabolism regulation. Comparative analysis with established inhibitors indicated the root extract's potency was comparable to reference compounds. Study limitations include the absence of in vivo validation. Future research should focus on isolating specific bioactive compounds and evaluating their efficacy in animal models. These findings provide scientific validation for the traditional use of P. granatum root in managing diabetes and oxidative stress-related conditions, highlighting its potential for pharmaceutical applications.

Anti-diabetic activity; DPPH; Phytochemical; Punica granatum; ROS

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