Comparison of anti-oxidative properties of fresh Berberis (integerrima × Vulgaris) in Aqueous and alcoholic solvents

Numerous biochemical reactions in human body produce active oxygen which is able to destroy biomolecules. This destructive effect of free radicals can be blocked by antiradicals. The role of free radicals in causing a noticeable number of disease has been proved. Anti-oxidants defend against these oxidative destructions. One of the best natural resources of oxidants are phenolic compounds in plants. Phenolic compounds by giving electrons to free radicals, restrain lipid oxidative reactions. Chemical antioxidants have been using a lot in food industrysuch as BHT, BMA, TBHQ and propyl gallate that their destructive and carcinogenesis effects on human body have been proved. Therefore, nowadays, the consumption of medicinal plants and their phenolic compounds as natural resources of antioxidants has been highly recommended. Different solvents and a variety of extraction methods can be used for extracting anti-oxidative compounds from plant tissues. Polarization degree of different solvents will effect on the amount of extracted phenolic compounds. Berberidacease family has a significant use in medicine and industry. There are biological activities in Barberry and it's highly used in food and medical industries. The main alkaloid of barberry is Barberine which has the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties and decreases blood pressure, hypoglycemia and lipid. Phenolic compounds and anthocyanins are the most important secondary active nutrients in Barberry. Barberry's extract and its bark root are rich in anti-oxidative and phenolic compounds. Berberis Integerrima × vulgaris has been studied in this research. The aim of this study was to determine the best solvent for extraction, the amount of phenolic compounds, anti-radical activity and anti-oxidative capacity in different extracts of fresh barberry which is gathered from Qamchoqai zone, Bijar, kordestan province.
For this study, Barberries were collected from Qamchoqai zone located in Bijar, Kurdistan, Iran. They had been maintained in freezer till we started to examine them. Then, we prepared the ethanol, methanol and water extracts of these frozen Berberis. The total Phenol and Flavonoid contents of extracts according to the method of UV-VIS, Total antioxidant activity content of extracts by using three different methods including scavenging activity of DPPH , NO, reducing power assay and the capacity of inhibit lipid peroxidation by thiobarbituric acid were determined.
In conclusion, this investigation demonstrates that Barberry is a rich source of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. The aqueous extract showed the highest total phenol content (48/98±0/49 mg/g (wet weight)) and scavenging power of Nitric Oxide radical activity(%723/6±64/56) and the methanol extract showed the highest flavonoid content (1/93±0/033 mg/g(wet weight)), DPPH scavenging effect (%44/62±0/99), reducing power (5/89±0/42 mmol/g(wet weight)) and MDA content (37/12±0/79 mmol/g(wet weight). The type of solvent used for extraction has significant effect on phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Methanol extract has the minimum amount of phenol in fresh barberry, but methanol is a good solvent for flavonoids in barberry. The result of anti-oxidative effects in different extracts of barberry according to MDA scale shows that the water extract has the maximum amount of anti-oxidative activity. These activities in extracts are because of the existence of phenols which prevent lipid oxidation by removing free radicals and stop the increase of Malondialdehyde. In this study, Methanol extract has the maximum amount of anti-radical activity. These different results in extracts are due to the different phenolic compounds and flavonoids in them. Among extracts, water exract has the maximum capacity in trapping nitric oxide radical. Anti-radical activity against NO radicals probably is done by anti-oxidative compounds in barberry which competes with O2 over NO. In term of reduce power, extracts didn’t have significant difference with each other. FRAP and DPPH method was the same result. This means that the methanol extract than other extracts showed higher antioxidant activity. In the extraction of phenolic compounds, Organic solvents especially methanol, was more effective than water and possibly "phenolic compounds derived regenerative better by methanol extract. Results showed that aqueous and alcohol extracts of Berberis Integerrima×Vulgaris can act as a natural antioxidant and after complimentary expriments, it can be used in food and medecine industry