Potential of Wild Plants as a Source of Bioactive Compounds

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine biological activity of four wild plants: Menyanthes trifoliata L., Centaurium erythraea Rafn., Portulaca oleracea L., and Acorus calamus L. The antioxidant activity was detected by ABTS, reducing power and phosphomolybdenum method, total polyphenol content with Folin – Ciocalteu reagent, flavonoids content by aluminium chloride method and total phenolic acid content by Arnova reagent. The detection of antimicrobial activity was carried out by disc diffusion method against three species of Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli CCM 3988, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica CCM 3807, Pseudomonas aeruginosa CCM1960 and two Gram-positive bacteria: Bacillus thuringiensis CCM 19, Stapylococcus aureus subsp. aureus CCM 2461. Results showed that wild plants are rich for biologically active substances and can be used more in different kind of industry as a cheap source of these substances. The highest antioxidant activity by ABTS and reducing power method was determined in the sample of Menyanthes trifoliata L. (64.99 mg TEAC – Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity per g of sample and 69.05 mg TEAG per g) and by phosphomolybdenum method in the sample of Menyanthes trifoliata L. (237.97 mg TEAC per g of sample). In the sample of Menyanthes trifoliata L. was measured the highest content of total polyphenols (27.91 mg GAE – gallic acid equivalent per g of sample), flavonoids (35.69 mg QE – quercetin equivalent per g of sample) and total phenolic acids (22.56 mg CAE – caffeic acid equivalent per g of sample). All samples also showed antimicrobial activity to inhibit selected kind bacteria with the best results in Menyanthes trifoliata L.

Keywords

• antioxidant activity
• bacteria
• polyphenols
• flavonoids
• phenolic acids