Antioxidant and Immunity Activity of Water Extract and Crude Polysaccharide from Ficus carica L. Fruit

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition volume 64, pages167–173(2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The antioxidative activities of water extract (WE) and crude hot-water soluble polysaccharide (PS) from Ficus carica L. fruit were investigated using various assays in vitro, including scavenging abilities on DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals and reducing power. The immunity activities of PS were evaluated using the carbon clearance test and serum hemolysin analysis in mice. In addition, total phenolics and flavonoids contents were also determined. Both WE and PS have notable scavenging activities on DPPH with the EC50 values of 0.72 and 0.61 mg/ml, respectively. The PS showed higher scavenging activity than WE on superoxide radical (EC50, 0.95 mg/ml) and hydroxyl anion radical (scavenging rate 43.4% at concentration of 4 mg/ml). The PS (500 mg/kg) also has a significant increase in the clearance rate of carbon particles and serum hemolysin level of normal mice. The results indicate that both WE and PS might be applicable in healthy medicine and food industry.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

US$ 39.95

Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Abbreviations

WE:

water extract of Ficus carica fruit

PS:

crude hot water-soluble polysaccharide of Ficus carica fruit

TEAC:

trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity

PBS:

phosphorous buffered saline

DPPH:

2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl

NBT:

nitro blue tetrazolium

NADH:

nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-reduced

Vc:

ascorbic acid

PMS:

phenazin methosulphate

BHT:

butylated hydroxytoluene

CRBC:

chook red blood cells

References

  1. 1.

    Lansky EP, Paavilainen HM, Pawlus AD, Newman RA (2008) Ficus spp. (fig): Ethnobotany and potential as anticancer and anti-inflammatory agents. J Ethnopharmacol 119:195–213. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.06.025

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. 2.

    Veberic R, Colaric M, Stampar F (2008) Phenolic acids and flavonoids of fig fruit (Ficus carica L.) in the northern Mediterranean region. Food Chem 106:153–157. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.05.061

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. 3.

    Dueñas M, Pérez-Alonso JJ, Santos-Buelga C, Escribano-Bailón T (2008) Anthocyanin composition in fig (Ficus carica L.). J Food Comp Anal 21:107–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. 4.

    Solomon A, Golubowicz S, Yablowicz Z, Grossman S, Bergman M, Gottlieb HE, Altman A, Kerem Z, Flaishman MA (2006) Antioxidant activities and anthocyanin content of fresh fruits of common fig (Ficus carica L.). J Agric Food Chem 20:7717–7723. doi:10.1021/jf060497h

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. 5.

    Konyalioğlu S, Sağlam H, Kivçak B (2005) α-Tocopherol, flavonoid, and phenol contents and antioxidant activity of Ficus carica Leaves. Pharm Biol 43:683–686. doi:10.1080/13880200500383538

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. 6.

    Vinson JA, Zubik L, Bose P, Samman N, Proch J (2005) Dried fruits: excellent in vitro and in vivo antioxidants. J Am Coll Nutr 24:44–50

    Google Scholar 

  7. 7.

    Wang YX, Zhang XL, Gao L, Zang QF, Kang SH (1990) Antitumor activity of ficus. Cancer China 9:223–225

    Google Scholar 

  8. 8.

    Bin-Hafeez B, Haque R, Parvez S, Pandey S, Sayeed I, Raisuddin S (2003) Immunomodulatory effects of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum L.) extract in mice. Int Immunopharmacol 3:257–265. doi:10.1016/S1567-5769(02)00292-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. 9.

    Wang TY, Zhao B, Wang YC (2006) Research Advances in Immunomodulation and antitumor activity of polysaccharides. Chin J Proc Engine 6:674–682

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. 10.

    Qin CG, Huang KX, Xu HB (2002) Isolation and characterization of novel polysaccharide from the mucus of the loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. Carbohydr Polym 49:367–371. doi:10.1016/S0144-8617(01)00335-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. 11.

    Slinkard K, Singleton VL (1977) Total phenol analysis: automation and comparison with manual methods. Am J Enol Vitic 28:49–55

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. 12.

    Sakanaka S, Tachibana Y, Okada Y (2005) Preparation and antioxidant properties of extracts of Japanese persimmon leaf tea (kakinoha- cha). Food Chem 89:569–575. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.03.013

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. 13.

    Negro C (2003) Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity from red grape marc extracts. Bioresour Technol 87:41–44. doi:10.1016/S0960-8524(02)00202-X

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. 14.

    Nishikimi M, Rao NA, Yagi K (1972) The occurrence of superoxide anion in the reaction of reduced phenazine methosulphate and molecular oxygen. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 46:849–854. doi:10.1016/S0006-291X(72)80218-3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. 15.

    Amarowicz R (2004) Free-radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant activity of selected plant species from the Canadian prairies. Food Chem 84:551–562. doi:10.1016/S0308-8146(03)00278-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. 16.

    Jin M, Cai YX, Li JR, Zhao H (1996) 1, 10-Phenanthroline-Fe2+ oxidative assay hydroxyl radical produced by H2O2/Fe2+. Prog Biochem Biophys 23:553–555

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. 17.

    Oyaizu M (1986) Studies on products of browning reaction: antioxidative activities of browning reaction prepared from glucosamine. Jap J Nutr 44:307–315

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. 18.

    Mathew S, Abraham TE (2006) In vitro antioxidant activity and scavenging effects of Cinnamomum verum leaf extract assayed by different methodologies. Food Chem Toxicol 44:198–206. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2005.06.013

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. 19.

    Yang Y, Liu WS, Han BQ, Wang CH, Fu CW, Liu B, Chen LH (2007) The antioxidant and immunostimulating properties of D-glucosamine. Int Immunopharmacol 7:29–35. doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2006.06.003

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. 20.

    Wen XM, Zhang YL, Liu XM, Guo SX, Wang H (2006) Immune responses in mice to arecoline mediated by lymphocyte muscarinic acetylcholine receptor. Cell Biol Int 30:1048–1053. doi:10.1016/j.cellbi.2006.09.015

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. 21.

    Prior RL, Cao GH, Martin A, Sofic E, McEwen J, O’Brien C (1998) Antioxidant capacity as influenced by total phenolic and anthocyanin content, maturity, and variety of Vaccinium species. J Agric Food Chem 46:2686–2693. doi:10.1021/jf980145d

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. 22.

    Wang H, Cao GH, Prior RL (1997) Oxygen radical absorbing capacity of anthocyanins. J Agric Food Chem 45(2):304–309. doi:10.1021/jf960421t

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. 23.

    Sánchez-Moreno C (2002) Review: methods used to evaluate the free radical scanvenging activity in foods and biological systems. Food Sci Technol Int 8:121–137. doi:10.1177/1082013202008003770

    Google Scholar 

  24. 24.

    Li HY, Hao ZB, Wang XL, Huang L, Li JP (2009) Antioxidant activities of extracts and fractions from Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance. Bioresour Technol 100:970–974. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2008.07.021

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. 25.

    Lee BB, Cha MR, Kim SY, Park E, Park HR, Lee SC (2007) Antioxidative and anticancer activity of extracts of cherry (Prunus serrulata var. spontanea) blossoms. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 62:79–84. doi:10.1007/s11130-007-0045-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. 26.

    Sun ZQ, Xu YY (2004) Medical Statistics, 1st edn. People’s Health Publishing House, Bei Jing

    Google Scholar 

  27. 27.

    Ozsoy N, Can A, Yanardag R, Akev N (2009) Antioxidant activity of Smilax excelsa L. leaf extracts. Food Chem 110:571–583. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.02.037

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. 28.

    Oliveira AC, Valentim IB, Silva CA, Bechara EJH, Barros MP, Mano CM, Goulart MOF (2009) Total phenolic content and free radical scavenging activities of methanolic extract powders of tropical fruit residues. Food Chem 115:469–475. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.12.045

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. 29.

    Tseng YH, Yang JH, Mau JL (2008) Antioxidant properties of polysaccharides from Ganoderma tsugae. Food Chem 107:732–738. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.08.073

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. 30.

    Dorman HJD, Peltoketo A, Hiltunen R, Tikkanen MJ (2003) Characterization of the antioxidant properties of de-odourised aqueous extracts from selected Lamiaceae herbs. Food Chem 83:255–262. doi:10.1016/S0308-8146(03)00088-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. 31.

    Schepetkin IA, Quinn MT (2006) Botanical polysaccharides: macrophage immunomodulation and therapeutic potential. Int Immunopharmacol 6:317–333. doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2005.10.005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. 32.

    Raveendran Nair PK, Rodriguez S, Ramachandran R, Alamo A, Melnick SJ, Escalon E, Garcia PI Jr, Wnuk SF, Ramachandran C (2004) Immune stimulating properties of a novel polysaccharide from the medicinal plant Tinospora cordifolia. Int Immunopharmacol 4:1645–1659. doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2004.07.024

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. 33.

    Huang CF, Lin SS, Liao PH, Young SC, Yang CC (2008) The immunopharmaceutical effects and mechanisms of herb medicine. Cellul Molecul Immunol 5:23–31

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao-ming Yang, Wei Yu, Zhong-ping Ou & Xue-lin Ji

  2. School of Food and Bioengineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Yu, Hai-le Ma & Wei-ming Liu

Authors
  1. Xiao-ming Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wei Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhong-ping Ou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hai-le Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wei-ming Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xue-lin Ji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiao-ming Yang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yang, Xm., Yu, W., Ou, Zp. et al. Antioxidant and Immunity Activity of Water Extract and Crude Polysaccharide from Ficus carica L. Fruit. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 64, 167–173 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-009-0120-5

Download citation

Keywords

  • Ficus carica L
  • Extract
  • Polysaccharide
  • Antioxidant activity
  • Immunity activity