Phytochemical screening, antioxidant properties, anti-apoptotic effects and molecular docking study of Tunisian cleome (Cleome arabica L.) fruits extract under optimized extraction conditions

Abstract

This study attempted to optimize the extraction conditions (liquid‒solid ratio, temperature and time) of phenolic yield from Cleome (Cleome arabica L.) fruits extract by the surface response methodology “Box‒Behnken plan” to identify and quantify polyphenolic compounds and test their antioxidant activity. A molecular docking method was developed to clarify the anti-apoptotic effects of bioactive molecules of cleome fruits. Optimal conditions were found at a ratio of 8 ml/g, 4°C and 2 h when the maximum yield was 27.24%. The total phenolic and flavonoid content assessed by the Folin-Ciocalteu and Quercetin methods were 195.20 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight (mg GAE/g DW) and 51.20 mg quercetin equivalent/g dry plant weight (mg QE/g DW), respectively. HPLC and FT-IR protocols revealed the presence of five polyphenolic compounds of which catechin was found to be the most abundant. The antioxidant activity of the extract was quantified by DPPH and FRAP tests, and the IC50 values reached 6.125 mg/ml and 2.9 mg/ml, respectively. In silico analysis confirmed the beneficial effects of phenolic compounds. The results revealed significant antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities of phenolic compounds of cleome fruits and may be useful in the pharmaceutical and food industries with appreciable human health-promoting properties.

Keywords

• Cleome arabica L.
• Box‒Behnken plan
• Phenolic compounds
• HPLC
• FT-IR
• Antioxidant activity