CORRELATION AMONG METALLIC IONS, PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION IN MEDICINAL PLANTS EXTRACTS
ABSTRACT The extracts of three different medicinal plants –Calendula officinalis L., Maytenus ilicifolia Martius ex Reissek and Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf – obtained with 70% and 95% v/v ethanol had their antimicrobial activity tested against five pathogenic microorganisms. A quantitative analys...
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Published in | Journal of food quality Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 306 - 314 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Malden, USA
Blackwell Publishing Inc
01.10.2011
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Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | ABSTRACT
The extracts of three different medicinal plants –Calendula officinalis L., Maytenus ilicifolia Martius ex Reissek and Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf – obtained with 70% and 95% v/v ethanol had their antimicrobial activity tested against five pathogenic microorganisms. A quantitative analysis of total phenols, flavonoids and mineral species was performed on the extracts using UV‐vis spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Klebsiella pneumoniae showed the greatest sensibility to the extracts tested. The mineral content of the medicinal herbs varied according to the type of plant (Cu = not detected to 10.90; Zn = 0.85 to 10.04; Na = 24.94 to 153.62; Al = 90.04 to 420.39; Mg = 9.62 to 1,129.15; Ca = 7.15 to 167.27 and K = 913.85 to 9,578.94 µg/g); however, the concentration of heavy elements (Pb, Cd and Cr) was null in the extracts. The concentrations of flavonoids ranged from 13.55 to 41.54 mg/g and 92.35 to 518.28 mg/g for phenolic acids.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
The use of plants with pharmacological activities has increased significantly because of their functional properties in the diet for the promotion of human health and antimicrobial effects. Moreover, medicinal herbs play an important role in public health, especially in developing countries. In Brazil, the use of plant extracts in the treatment of certain diseases is very common. This habit can be explained, at least in part, by the belief that herbs with therapeutic effects do not have toxic effects on the organism. In this paper, ethanolic extracts of three medicinal plants, widely cultivated and used by the population of Brazil and worldwide, had their levels of metals ions and total phenolic compounds determined. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated against foodborne pathogens or food spoilage organisms or clinically isolates microorganisms. |
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Bibliography: | ArticleID:JFQ403 istex:A45D6EF0B0ED6118E2DE50F5D463EC75AAC8BFB2 ark:/67375/WNG-6D265G78-X ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0146-9428 1745-4557 |
DOI: | 10.1111/j.1745-4557.2011.00403.x |