Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Acorus calamus. L leaf and rhizome extracts
Abstract: Acorus calamus
(sweet flag) is a well-known traditional herb used in India. There were only
limited studies done on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic extracts of A. calamus
and the biological activities of phenolic and flavonoid compounds as well as
alpha-asarone in the sweet flag.
Objective: The present study was designed to explore the antioxidant and
antibacterial activities of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic of A. calamus leaf
and rhizome extracts. Lastly, the correlation between the biological activities
and total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) as well as
total alpha-asarone content (TAC) of three different extracts (water, hexane
and methanol extracts) was revealed.
Method: TAC was determined through using HPLC method, while TPC and TFC
were determined through spectrophotometric method. DPPH-free radical scavenging
assay (DPPH-FRS) and ferric reducing power assay (FRAP) were used to analyze
antioxidant activity, whereby disc diffusion method was used to analyze the antibacterial
activity.
Results: Methanol extracts had significantly (p<0.05) highest levels
of antioxidant activities, antibacterial activity TPC (4.466%1; 3.603%2) and
TFC (12.819%1; 7.411%2) content. The significant (p<0.05) highest TAC was
observed in hexane extracts (0.762%1; 2.975%2). TPC (p<0.05; r=0.855) and
TFC (p<0.05; r=0.855) correlated to FRAP, while DPPH-FRS solely correlated
to TFC (p<0.05; r=0.873).
Conclusion: Both of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic extracts of A.
calamus could be potent antioxidant agents for nutraceutical application and
antibacterial agent for food application. Lastly, flavonoids and phenols
extracted from sweet flag could be a good potent source of antioxidants for
nutraceuticals or food additives as those compounds are correlated to the
antioxidant activity.
Keywords: A. calamus;
alpha-asarone; antibacterial; antioxidant; flavonoids; nutraceuticals; phenols;
sweet flag
Penulis: Kho See Li
Kode Jurnal: jpkesmasdd170506
