Biological activity of natural extracts from spices

Promoviranje zdravega načina življenja je privedlo do tega, da čedalje več ljudi preprečuje oz. zdravi bolezni po naravni poti. V večini primerov za to uporabljajo rastline in začimbe. Namen diplomske naloge je bil, ugotoviti biološko aktivnost ekstraktov iz treh različnih začimb: kumine, čilija ter cimeta. Za separacijo biološko aktivnih komponent smo izvajali Soxhlet in konvencionalno ekstrakcijo, z različnimi topili ob različnih pogojih. Pridobljenim ekstraktom smo s pomočjo spektrofotometričnih metod določevali vsebnost totalnih fenolov in flavonoidov, antioksidativno, antiinflamatorno ter antihiperglikemično aktivnost. Najvišji izkoristek smo dosegli pri konvencionalni ekstrakciji, kjer smo kot topilo uporabljali 50% vodno raztopino acetona. Prav tako smo ugotovili, da izkoristek narašča s temperaturo premosorazmerno. Vsebnost totalnih fenolov je najvišja v ekstraktu cimeta, ki smo ga dobili s Soxhlet ekstrakcijo. Najvišjo vsebnost totalnih flavonoidov smo zabeležili v ekstraktih kumine, in sicer pri 60°C ter s 50% vodno raztopino acetona kot topilom. Najbolj antioksidativno so delovali ekstrakti cimeta, najvišja vrednost je bila zabeležena v čistovodnem ekstraktu pri 60°C. Antiinflamatorna aktivnost je bila najvišja pri kumini, pri 40°C, kjer smo kot topilo uporabili čisti aceton. Ugotovili smo, da je antihiperglikemična aktivnost najvišja pri cimetovem ekstraktu, kjer smo pri 80°C kot topilo uporabili čisto vodo. Z diplomskim delom smo potrdili, da so izbrane začimbe res biološko aktivne in pozitivno vplivajo na zdravje človeka.Promotion of healthy lifestyle has led to the fact that more and more people are preventing or healing diseases through natural way. In most cases, plants and spices are being used for these purposes. The purpose of diploma thesis was to research biological activity of natural extracts from three different spices, cumin, chilli and cinnamon. The experiments were done with Soxhlet and conventional extraction, with different solvents and under different temperature conditions. The content of total phenols and flavonoids, antioxidant, aniinflammatory and antihypergycemic activity of those extracts, were determined by spectrofotometric methods. The yield of extraction was the highest by conventional extraction, when we used 50% aqueous solution of acetone. It was observed, that higher temperature gives higher yield of extraction. We also figured out that results match with theoretical groundings. Results show, that cinnamon extract, where 50% aqueous solution of acetone was used as solvent at 60°C ,has the highest content of total phenols. Highest content of total flavonoids was detected in cumin extracts, obtained with 50% aqueous solution of acetone as solvent at 60°C Cinnamon extract, where pure destilled water was used as solvent at 60°C, posesed the highest antioxidant activity .. Antiinflamatory acticity was the highest for cumin extract obtained with pure acetone as solvent at 40°C . The highest antihypergycemic activity was observed for cinnamon extract, obtained with pure water as solvent at 80°C. With thesis we confirmed, that chosen spices really are biological active and positively affect human health