Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of ethanol extract from Paullinia cupana Mart

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2005-10, Vol.102 (1), p.32-36
• Main Authors: Basile, Adriana, Ferrara, Lydia, Pezzo, Marisa Del, Mele, Guido, Sorbo, Sergio, Bassi, Paola, Montesano, Domenico
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial activity; antibacterial properties; Antioxidant activity; antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Catechols - analysis; chemical constituents of plants; Ethanol extract; General pharmacology; Gram-negative bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; oxidative stress; Paullinia - chemistry; Paullinia cupana; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - analysis; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Sapindaceae; seeds
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.05.038

The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract from Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis Mart. (Sapindaceae) seeds, commonly called guarana, was assessed towards selected bacteria as well as in different antioxidant models. The extract, at a concentration between 16 and 128 μg/ml, showed a significant antibacterial effect expressed as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In particular, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 16 μg/ml), Proteus mirabilis (MIC = 32 μg/ml), Proteus vulgaris (MIC = 32 μg/ml) and Escherichia coli (MIC = 32 μg/ml) were the most inhibited. The antioxidant activity was determined by the malonyldialdehyde (MDA) test, measuring the MDA concentration in 3T3-L1 cells after induced cellular damage using ferric ammonium citrate (FAC). The reduction of lipid peroxidation was 62.5% using a guarana extract with a concentration of 2 μg/ml. This effect was dose/dependent. The ethanol extract from Paullinia cupana seeds was analysed by spectrophotometry to determine the concentration of catechol substances after treatment of the extract with p-aminophenol. The total phenolics content in the ethanol extract was also determined spectrophotometrically according to the Folin–Ciocalteu procedure and calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). The concentration of catechol equivalent was 6.06 ± 0.13 mg/g (mean ± S.D.), while the total phenolic content was 8.43 ± 0.21 mg/g (mean ± S.D.). The correlation index between antioxidant activity and catechol content was 0.96.