In order to determine the antioxidant and radical scavenging properties of kernel date (Fructus dactylus) the following analysis were conducted: The total antioxidant activity via the ferric thiocyanate method; 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazole-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity; superoxide anion radical (O2•–) scavenging activity; the total reduction power through potassium ferricyanide reduction method; Cupric ions (Cu2+) reduction capacity through Cuprac method; hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and chelating activity of ferrous ions (Fe2+). Additionally, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the kernel of date (KD) (Fructus dactylus) were determined. Furthermore, a-tocopherol, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and quercetin were used as the reference antioxidant compounds. Both KD-Aquous extract and KD-ethanol extract exhibited the highest phenol (KD-AE:107; KD-EE237 µg GAE mg-1 extract) and flavonoid (KD-AE:210; KD-EE:236 µg QE mg-1 extract) contents and displayed the highest antioxidant activity. KD-AE and KD-EE exhibited high antibacterial activitiy against eleven bacteria with Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) values ranging from 12.50 to 250 mu l/ml.
Antioxidant activity, Radical scavenging, Phenolic derivatives, Antibacterial activity
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