Antioxidant, Antliglycation and Antimicrobial Activities of Ziziphus oxyphylla and Cedrela serrata Extracts

Aims: To determine the antioxidant, antiglycation and antibacterial activity of two selected plants found wild in Pakistan (Ziziphus oxyphylla and Cedrela serrata). Study Design: In vitro assessment of antioxidant assays, phenolic and flavonoid content, protein-glycation inhibition and antibacterial study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp Belgium (February - April 2013; Antioxidant, Protein glycation). Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Karachi, Pakistan (March – June, 2012; antibacterial). Methodology: In vitro laboratory experimental tests; preparation of plant extracts, antioxidant assays (ABTS.+, PMS-NADH radicals), total phenol, total flavonoid; protein glycation (fluorescence); susceptibility tests (zones of inhibition). Results: The bark of C. serrata contained the highest amount of total phenol (0.35 ± 0.04 mg GAE/g extract) and exhibited significantly superior ABTS.+ and PMS superoxide radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of 0.043 ± 0.001 mg/ml and 0.18 ± 0.01 mg/ml, respectively (P=0.05). Similarly, the protein-glycation assay revealed that the bark of C. serrata had the best inhibitory property with a low IC50 value of 0.61 ± 0.02 mg/ml (P=0.05), probably due to the presence of high amounts of total phenol. Furthermore, the various extracts showed considerable inhibition against both Gram–positive and – negative bacterial growth when compared against two standard drugs neomycin and doxycycline. Conclusion: The results of this study substantiate a probable role for these plants to be utilized as a natural source of antioxidant having a wide range of bioactivities