In Vitro and In Vivo Antioxidant Potential of Hydromethanolic Extract of Phoenix dactylifera Fruits

Abstract

The present study was aimed at investigating the antioxidant activities of the hydromethanolic extract of Phoenix dactylifera (HEPD) fruit (Arecaceae). The antioxidant activities of extract have been evaluated by using a range of in vitro assays and in vivo hepatoprotective model. In case of in vitro studies the IC50 values were found to be 160, 1400, 1115, 1050 μg/ml in DPPH, nitric oxide, superoxide, hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, respectively. In case of in vivo studies the levels of liver enzymatic, non-enzymatic systems [serum glutamate oxalo-acetate transaminases (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminases (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, total protein, catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD)] and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were restored towards the normal value in HEPD treated carbon tetrachloride intoxicated rats. The free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities may be attributed to the presence of phenolic (pyrocatechol and gallic acid contents are 6.2 and 2.906 μg/mg, respectively), vitamin C (ascorbic acid content is 0.66 μg/mg) and flavonoid compounds (4.79 μg/mg) present in HEPD. The results obtained in the present study indicate that the Phoenix dactylifera fruit is a potential source of natural antioxidant.  Keywords: Phoenix dactylifera; Antioxidant, Flavonoid; Total phenolic content; Vitamin C. © 2010  JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.  DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2643                   J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 144-157 (2010)