Abstract:
Cardamom is considered as one of the most famous spices with impressive medicinal properties and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. In this study, the essential oils (EO) of cardamom collected from the local market were extracted using the Clevenger apparatus, followed by identifying the antioxidant activity using three assays: DPPH, FRAP, and TAC.
The results showed that the extraction yield of cardamom EO obtained by Clevenger apparatus at a ratio of 1/10 of distilled water, for 3 h at 100 °C temperature was 5.34%. Distilled cardamom EO exhibited a strong antioxidant activity (IC50 value: 184.86 μg/ml), while the purchased EO have a strong Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power and lower Anti-radical scavenging activity (EC50 value of 21.64 μg/ml and IC50 value of 207.02 μg/ml). Moreover, both of them distilled and purchased cardamom EOs have a good Total Antioxidant Capacity (IC50 value of 39.15 and 34.91 μg/ml, respectively). This result provides the basis for further studies to evaluate the potential use of EO from cardamom for antioxidant activities.
Description:
Medicinal plants will always remain a reliable source of bioactive compounds of therapeutic interest.
The objective of this study falls within the framework of the valorization of natural resources in Algeria. For this, we first carried out the extraction by hydro distillation of the essential oils from the seeds of Elettaria cardamomum using the Clevenger apparatus. Then we evaluated the antioxidant activity efficacy of this EO by three methods: DPPH, FRAP, and TAC assays.
From the obtained results in the present study, we can conclude that the distilled cardamom EO exhibits a strong potential free radical scavenging ability, while the purchased cardamom EO has a strong Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power and lower Anti-radical scavenging activity. Moreover, both distilled and purchased cardamom EO have a good Total Antioxidant Capacity.
Our study suggested that the assessment of antioxidant activity of EO should be evaluated using several assays.
This study suggests prospects for application in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. The results obtained could contribute to the valorization of these aromatic and medicinal plants. More in-depth investigations on the chemical composition by Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), biological activities, including antioxidant activities such as radical trapping (ABTS), Iron chelating power, hydroxyl radical trapping, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), Liposomes, Hydrogen peroxide radical trapping, Oxygen Radical Antioxidant Capacity (ORAC), and microbiological activity, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-diabetic, antihemorrhagic, hypertensive, etc. Without ignoring the toxicity of this plant, it will be required to demonstrate its medical potential or limits of use.
In this respect, it is predicted that it is possible to develop new and natural antioxidative drug formulations from the cardamom plant, which has a high antioxidant potential, as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants in the future.
