Antioxidant, antimutagenic and antibacterial activities of extracts from Phyllanthus emblica branches
Bungorn Sripanidkulchai and Niramai Fangkrathok
pp. 669 - 674
Abstract
Phyllanthus emblica is an euphorbiaceous plant that has long been used as an ingredient in traditional medicines and
functional foods. Although traditional remedies use several parts including the fruit, leaf, flower, stem and roots, the fruit is
the most popular. It has been used for health promotion, anti-aging and also for treatment of wide ranges of symptoms and
diseases. Because of the broad spectrum of pharmacological activities and high demand for the P. emblica fruit, there is a
shortage of raw materials. Furthermore, there is a seasonal limitation in which the fruit comes out once a year. The aim of
this study is to investigate the bioactive potential and the possibility to use the plant branch. Alcohol based extracts of
P.emblica branch were analyzed for total phenolic content, antioxidant, antibacterial and antimutagenic activities. P. emblica
branches were used to prepare the 50% ethanolic extract by maceration (EBE) and methanolic extract by Soxhlet apparatus
(MBE). Total phenolic content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method and DPPH was used to analyze the antioxidative
activity. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by microdilution method and expressed by minimal inhibitory concentration
(MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). Antimutagenicity was performed by preincubation bacterial assay in
Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains. It was found that both EBE and MBE contained high total phenolic
content (643 and 547 TAE mg/g) and strong antioxidative activity (EC50 at 30 and 23 mg/ml). The extracts showed antimutagenicity to both direct and indirect-acting mutagens in TA98 and TA100 strains. Both extracts possess antibacterial activity
against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In conclusion, the alcoholic extracts of P. emblica branch possess high phenolic content with strong antioxidative, antimutagenic and
antibacterial activities as previously reported in P. emblica fruit. These findings support the traditional uses and may lead to
future utilization of P. emblica branch in functional foods and skin products.
