Background and Aim: In humans, many diseases are associated with the accumulation of free radicals. Antioxidants can scavenge free radicals and minimize their impact. Therefore, the search for naturally occurring antioxidants of plant origin is imperative. Methods: Here, we aimed to investigate the antioxidant and free radical SCAVENGING properties of methanolic extracts from Plantago major, Asperugo procumbens, Fumaria paviflora. Methanolic extract of P. major, A. procumbens, F. paviflora leaf is a potential source of natural antioxidants and serves as an effective free radical scavenger and/or inhibitor. Hence, of P. major, A. procumbens, F. paviflora might be a good plant-based pharmaceutical product for several diseases caused by free radicals. Results: In this experiment, we examined different parts (leaf) of A. procumbens and found that methanolic extract of A. procumbens leaf, which contains large amounts of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, exhibited the highest antioxidant and free radical SCAVENGING. A positive correlation (P-value < 0. 005) was observed between phenolic content and free radical (DPPH) SCAVENGING efficiencies. Conclusion: Methanolic extract of A. procumbens leaf is a potential source of natural antioxidants and serves as an effective free radical scavenger and/or inhibitor. Hence, A. procumbens might be a good plant-based pharmaceutical product for several diseases caused by free radicals.

The general desire to replace antibiotics and synthetic antioxidants with natural plants extracts has gained importance in recent years. This approach may be associated with the negative health effects of synthetic antioxidants and antibiotic resistance. Due to these controversial issues, in this study, free radical SCAVENGING activity, Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), and antimicrobial activity of Methanolic Extracts (ME) from Teucrium polium, Smyrnium cordifolium Boiss, Mentha longifolia, and Nectaroscordum tripedale leaves were compared with Crocus sativus tepals. The antioxidant activity of these extracts was investigated in comparison with BHA, BHT, and α-tocopherol by DPPH method. Antimicrobial activities were determined by paper disc agar diffusion method against S. aureus (Gram positive) and E. coli O157: H7 (Gram negative). Results showed that C. sativus tepals contained the highest TPC (37. 36 mg GAE g-1) and TFC (138. 52 mg Q g-1). Also, radical SCAVENGING activity of C. sativus tepals ME (87. 33%) was significantly higher than the other extracts; and it was the same as BHA and α-tocopherol statistically. In addition, a significant relationship between radical SCAVENGING activity and TPC (R= 0. 964) and TFC (R= 0. 806) was found, illustrating the major role of these compounds in antioxidant activity of the mentioned plants. Antibacterial activity of N. tripedale leaf extract and C. sativus tepal extract against the two abovementioned pathogens were the highest among all the studied herbal extracts (P< 0. 05). Moreover, Results of antimicrobial activities were also strongly correlated to free radical SCAVENGING activity and TPC, which indicates the importance of these factors on antimicrobial properties of the five studied medicinal herbs.

Objective(s): The unfavorable physicochemical properties of well recognized antioxidant phytoactive sesamol limits its oral bioavailability as well as potential application as an antioxidant drug. The aim of the study is to design and evaluate sesamol encapsulated hyaluronic acid anchored phospholipid nanovesicles to enhance its antioxidant potential. Methods: Drug encapsulated hyalurosomes were prepared using thin film hydration method and evaluated for particle diameter, physical stability, drug encapsulation efficiency, sesamol release behavior in vitro and DPPH radical SCAVENGING assay. Results: The selected method was found to be effective for fabrication of phospholipid nanovesicles with particle diameter 200 ±,10. 173 nm and zeta potential-29. 8 ±,4. 16 mV. The drug loaded hyalurosomes revealed significantly better radical SCAVENGING potential compared to free sesamol and unloaded hyalurosomes. Conclusions: Hyaluronic acid functionalized phospholipid nanovesicles is novel phospholipid based carrier for delivery of phytoactives. Thus formulated phospholipid based system could be acceptable system for delivery sesamol with improved antioxidant potential.

Reactions of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) with biological molecules in vivo play an important physiological role in many diseases.2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) is a stable free radical and often used as a routine reagent to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of an antioxidant. This study was undertaken to investigate the free radical-SCAVENGING and antioxidant activities of Zinc, Vitamin C and mixture of them. UV-Vis spectrophotometry method was used to evaluate the ability of Zinc, Vitamin C and mixture of them to scavenge DPPH radical. The kinetic parameters such as rate constant and activation energy in experimental conditions were calculated. The rate constants of the H atom abstraction by DPPH (1 k), in the presence of Zinc, Vitamin C and mixture of them were obtained (0.4209, 2.092 and 1.82 min-1) respectively, under pseudo-first-order conditions at 25oC.

Plants are rich source of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids and tannins) that are most important natural antioxidants. In the present study two ultrasonic methods including probe and bath were used for the extraction of phenolic and flavonoid compounds from Celtis australis. The effects of different extraction time including 30, 60 and 90 min (bath method) and 5, 10 and 20 min (probe method) on extraction of phenolic and flavonoid compounds were evaluated and then the ability of extracts to scavenge DPPH free radical were evaluated using three extraction solvent of water, 80% methanol and 70% ethanol. The results showed that in the probe method of ultrasonic, the highest phenolic compound (8.906±0.017 milligrams gallic acid/ g dry sample), the flavonoid (3.35±0.056 mg of quercetin/g of dry sample) and DPPH radical SCAVENGING activity (94.723±1.127 mg of quercetin/g of dry sample) and DPPH radical SCAVENGING activity (94.74%) were obtained using 70% ethanol within 20 minutes extraction. The minimum extraction of phenolic compounds was obtained using water for 5 minutes with 4.315±0.184 milligrams gallic acid/ g dry sample. In the ultrasound bath, the highest extraction rate of phenolic compounds (8.816±0.015 mg gallic acid equivalent/ g dry sample) was extracted using 70% ethanol for 90 minutes. The ethanol 70-90 minutes with 2.536±0.02 mg of quercetin/g of dry sample showed the highest extraction rate of flavonoid compounds between all treatments. The minimum extraction of phenolic, flavonoid, DPPH radical SCAVENGING activity was obtained using water -30 minutes (for ultrasonic Bath) and water-5 minutes (for ultrasonic probe). Results showed that two methods of ultrasound had different effect on extraction of bioactive compound from Celtis australis. In each extraction method, the extraction rate of phenolic and flavonoid compounds were solvent-dependent.