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In vitro Antioxidant Activity of Aged Extracts of some Italian Allium Species

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Abstract

Antioxidant activity of fresh Allium sativum L. (garlic) is well known and is mainly due to unstable and irritating organosulphur compounds. Fresh garlic extracted over a prolonged period (up to 20 months) produces odourless aged garlic extract (AGE) containing stable and water soluble organosulphur compounds that prevent oxidative damage by scavenging free radicals. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro antioxidant activity of aged (up to 20 months) 15% hydroethanolic extracts of different parts (bulbs, bulblets, flower bulblets, flowers, and leaves) of three Allium spontaneous species which are endemic for Italian flora: Allium neapolitanum Cyr., Allium subhirsutum L., Allium roseum L. and to compare it with the in vitro antioxidant activity of aged 15% hydroethanolic extracts of bulbs and leaves of garlic. The antioxidant potential of aged extracts of all species has been evaluated using two different spectrophotometric assays: 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test and the ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Furthermore the polyphenol content was determined. The aged extracts obtained from the leaves showed the best antioxidant activity, followed by flowers and then by bulbs in both used tests, while flower bulblets and bulblets exhibited lower results or no activity. The polyphenol content was generally directly correlated with antioxidant/antiradical activity. This study confirms the data obtained in previous researches, the wild-type species of Allium and in particular organs other than bulbs are more active and efficacious than garlic bulb. Surely leaves of these Allium spp. deserve special attention.

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Abbreviations

AGE:

aged garlic extract

DPPH:

2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl

FRAP:

ferric reducing/antioxidant power

GAE:

gallic acid equivalent

I%:

Percentage of inhibition

IC50 :

concentration inhibiting the 50% values of DPPH radical

SE:

standard error

R2 :

coefficient of determination

TPTZ:

2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-s-triazine

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by University of Siena PAR grant 2006.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Neurochirurgiche e del Comportamento. Sezione di Farmacologia “Giorgio Segre”, Università di Siena, Via delle Scotte, 6, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Cristina Nencini, Gian Gabriele Franchi & Lucia Micheli

  2. Dipartimento di Studi Aziendali e Sociali, Sezione di Popolazione, Ambiente e Metodi Matematico-Statistici, Università di Siena, Piazza San Francesco, 8, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Andrea Menchiari

Authors
  1. Cristina Nencini
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  2. Andrea Menchiari
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  3. Gian Gabriele Franchi
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  4. Lucia Micheli
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Correspondence to Lucia Micheli.

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Nencini, C., Menchiari, A., Franchi, G.G. et al. In vitro Antioxidant Activity of Aged Extracts of some Italian Allium Species. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 66, 11–16 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-010-0204-2

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