Open AccessSuper foods and Super herbs: Antioxidant and Antifungal Activity
Author(s) -
Anna Roidaki,
Eleni Kollia,
Eirini A. Panagopoulou,
Antonia Chiou,
Theodoros Varzakas,
Panagiota Markaki,
Charalampos Proestos
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
current research in nutrition and food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.255
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 2347-467X
pISSN - 2322-0007
DOI - 10.12944/crnfsj.4.special-issue-october.19
Subject(s) - dpph , food science , hippophae rhamnoides , aspergillus parasiticus , vaccinium , antioxidant , chemistry , botany , traditional medicine , biology , aflatoxin , biochemistry , medicine
Antioxidant activities and phenolic contents of selected superfoods and superherbs, cultivated in regions of Greece, were investigated so as to supply new information on their antioxidant function. The total antioxidant capacity was estimated by DPPH• (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical) assay while total phenolics were measured using Folin–Ciocalteu method. Moreover this study was carried out with a supplementary objective to investigate the antifungal activities of the selected superfoods/superherbs extracts. The in vitro antifungal assays were done against the mycotoxigenic fungus Aspergillus parasiticus (aflatoxigenic) and Aspergillus carbonarius (ochratoxigenic). The results showed diversity on antioxidant profile of the studied extracts, although in most of the cases, the analysis revealed significant antioxidant capacity and high total phenolic content. Specifically, Photinia melanocarpa L., Hippophae rhamnoides L. leaves, Cistus incanus L., and Crataegus monogyna Jacq., possessed the highest antioxidant capacities and total phenolic contents among the others. Moreover, most of the tested extracts inhibited the growth of A.parasiticus and A.carbonarius while some of them stimulated the fungal growth, for both of the mycotoxigenic fungi. Tribulus terrestris and Cistus incanus proved to be more effective in reducing the growth of the tested fungi while Vaccinium corymbosum (blueberries) had stimulating effect on the fungi’s growth.