Investigation of antioxidant and antihemolytic properties of Thymus satureioides collected from Tafilalet Region, south-east of Morocco

Abstract

Objective:: To examine the antioxidant and antihemolytic activities of the aqueous extract, total polyphenols and total flavonoids of Thymus satureioides (T. satureioides). Methods:: This plant was collected from Tafilalet Region of Morocco. The aqueous extract was obtained by cold maceration, and the components were obtained by Soxhlet extraction using solvents of varying polarity. The identification and quantification of phenol (caffeic and rosmarinic acids) and flavones (luteolin 7-glycoside and hesperetin) were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography analysis. Results:: Total polyphenol and flavonoids contents in the aqueous extract of T. satureioides were (456.73±6.94) mg caffeic acid equivalent/g of dry plant and (172.79±2.12) mg rutin equivalent/g of dry plant, respectively. Different extracts showed good antioxidant activity. IC50 for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil radical scavenging activity was (0.480±0.010), (0.418±0.005), (43.891±2.467) and (0.510±0.010) mg/mL for the aqueous extract, total polyphenol, flavonoids and trolox, respectively. Also, the extracts showed ferric reducing antioxidant power and the values were (50.79±2.02), (117.51±6.46), (7.03±0.29) and (44.33±7.55) mmol trolox/g for the aqueous extract, total polyphenol, flavonoids and trolox, respectively. Serum levels of malondialdehyde was significantly decreased in comparison with the oxidized control (P<0.001). They showed good activity against 2,2,-azobis 2-amidinopropane dihydrochloride induced hemolysis in erythrocytes of rabbit blood. In addition, they ameliorate the half time of hemolysis. Conclusions:: Our results provide evidence that aqueous extract, total polyphenols and total flavonoids of T. satureioides exhibit marked antioxidant and antihemolytic activities, thus confirming and justifying the popular uses of this plant to relieve some pains.

Keywords

• Thymus
• Polyphenols
• Flavonoids
• Antioxidant
• Antihemolytic
• Lipid peroxidation