Chemical evaluation of the semi-purified fraction from the seeds of guaraná, Paullinia cupana H.B.K. var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke, yielded the following compounds: caffeine, catechin, epicatechin, ent-epicatechin, and procyanidins B1, B2, B3, B4, A2, and C1. Measurement of the antioxidant activity by reduction of the DPPH radical confirmed the anti-radical properties of the aqueous (AqE) and cru...

The health benefits of purple sweetpotato, which is used as an edible food in its natural 13 state and in processed foods and as a natural color pigment, have been recognized. In Japan, 14 sweetpotato has been economically produced in regions below 36°4′N latitude, however, cultivation 15 areas are beginning to expand further north. The anthocyanin and polyphenolics in purple 16 sweetpotatoes c...

Melia dubia Cav. of family Meliaceae is a fast growing, high value tree species native to India. Isolating DNA from matured dried leaves of M. dubia was difficult due to accumulation of secondary metabolites, majorly polyphenolics, which resulted in dark brown to black colour of the pellet. In this study, a modified STE-(Sucrose, Tris-HCl and Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid) CTAB (hexadecylt...

Recently, the emergence and spread of pathogenic bacterial resistance to many antibiotics (multidrug-resistant strains) have been increasing throughout the world. This phenomenon is of great concern and there is a need to find alternative chemotherapeutic agents to combat these antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Higher plants may serve as a resource for new antimicrobials to replace or augmen...

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of extraction time, extraction temperature and water to pomace ratio on the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of apple pomace aqueous extracts. Pomace was extracted using water (20-90°C) for 5-60 min. The extracts were evaluated for their total phenolic content (Folin Ciocalteu assay) and antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP and ABTS assays). A...

Low molecular weight (LMW) polyphenolics containing a polyhydroxylated benzyl moiety are abundant in medicinal plants. In the present study, we report on the activities of seven LMW polyphenolics isolated from Inonotus obliquus, a medicinal mushroom. The isolated compounds included caffeic acid (CA), 3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL), gallic acid, syringic acid, protocatechuic acid, 3,4-dihydrox...

Research indicates that vulnerability to oxidative stress (OSV) may increase in aging, suggesting that age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) or vascular dementia (VAD) may be superimposed upon a vulnerable neuronal environment. Determinations in cell models have suggested that the enhanced OSV may be the result of, (a) increases in membrane lipids, especially s...