Phytochemical Synergy and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity of Azadirachta indica and Triticum aestivum Extracts

Aniqa Qasim; Khizir Abbas; Noor Ul Huda; Mariam Amir

doi:10.70749/ijbr.v3i9.2309

Authors

Aniqa Qasim Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan
Khizir Abbas Department of Botany, University of Education Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan Campus, Punjab, Pakistan
Noor Ul Huda Department of Microbiology, Biological Science, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Mariam Amir Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v3i9.2309

Keywords:

Azadirachta indica, Triticum aestivum, phytochemicals, antioxidant enzymes, synergy, catalase, peroxidase, SOD.

Abstract

Rising demand for herbal products for therapeutic applications has driven the examination of synergistic effects between medicinally plants and nutraceutical plants. Azadirachta indica (Neem) is known for its numerous phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids and phenolics that display strong antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Likewise, Triticum aestivum (Wheatgrass) has been reputed for containing chlorophyll, amino acids, vitamins, and phenolic compounds, some of which involved in detoxification, immuno-modulation, and anti-oxidant activity. The current study is aimed at understanding synergistic interactions between Neem and Wheatgrass extracts in context to qualitative and quantitative phytochemical profiling and antioxidant enzyme activities. Bioactive components were determined using standard phytochemical screening methods, while quantitative determination of proteins and phenolics were done. Enzymatic anti-oxidant assays for catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were carried out to check oxidative defense capability of extracts both separately and in combination. The results showed that combined extracts possessed a higher antioxidant enzymatic activity compared to non-combined arrangements, which indicated that bioactive compounds were potentiating each other. The present investigation emphasizes the potential use of polyherbal formulations for enhancing the antioxidant defense and endorses the traditional as well as modern use of Neem and Wheatgrass for nutraceutical as well as therapeutic preparations.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Aebi, H. (1984). Catalase in vitro. Methods in Enzymology, 105, 121–126.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(84)05016-3

2. Alzohairy, M. A. (2016). Therapeutics role of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and their active constituents in diseases prevention and treatment. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016, 1–11.

https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7382506

3. Ben-Arye, E., Goldin, E., Wengrower, D., Stamper, A., Kohn, R., & Berry, E. (2015). Wheatgrass juice in the treatment of active distal ulcerative colitis: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 37(4), 444–449.

https://doi.org/10.1080/003655202317316088

4. Harborne, J. B. (1998). Phytochemical methods: A guide to modern techniques of plant analysis (3rd ed.). Chapman & Hall.

5. Kulkarni, S. D., Tilak, J. C., Acharya, R., Rajurkar, N. S., Devasagayam, T. P. A., & Reddy, A. V. R. (2006). Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum L.) as a function of growth under different conditions. Phytotherapy Research, 20(3), 218–227.

https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1842

6. Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L., & Randall, R. J. (1951). Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 193(1), 265–275.

https://doi.org/10.1016/s0021-9258(19)52451-6

7. Patwardhan, B., Warude, D., Pushpangadan, P., & Bhatt, N. (2015). Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine: A comparative overview. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2005(2), 465–473.

https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/neh140

8. Sharma, S., & Sunkad, M. A. (2015). Evaluation of phytochemical and antioxidant profile of wheatgrass juice. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 31(1), 35–39.

9. Singh, N., Verma, P., Pandey, B. R., & Gilca, M. (2012). Role of wheatgrass in prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, 5(4), 1–8.

https://doi.org/10.25004/ijpsdr.2011.030401

10. Subapriya, R., & Nagini, S. (2005). Medicinal properties of neem leaves: A review. Current Medicinal Chemistry – Anti-Cancer Agents, 5(2), 149–156.

https://doi.org/10.2174/1568011053174828

11. Trease, G. E., & Evans, W. C. (2002). Pharmacognosy (15th ed.). Saunders.

12. Verma, R. S., Padalia, R. C., Chauhan, A., & Thul, S. T. (2020). Phytochemical diversity of Azadirachta indica: Superoxide dismutase mimetic and antioxidant activity. Natural Product Research, 34(7), 943–947.

https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2018.1493587

13. Wagner, H. (2011). Synergy research: Approaching a new generation of phytopharmaceuticals. Fitoterapia, 82(1), 34–37.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2010.11.016

14. Cai, Y., Luo, Q., Sun, M., & Corke, H. (2004). Antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of 112 traditional Chinese medicinal plants associated with anticancer. Life Sciences, 74(17), 2157–2184.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2003.09.047

15. Kumar, V. S., Navaratnam, V., & Mohamed, M. S. (2010). Neem (Azadirachta indica): Prehistory to contemporary medicinal uses to humankind. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 1(1), 1–10.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S2221-1691(10)60002-8

16. Murthy, K. N. C., Vanitha, A., Swamy, M. M., & Ravishankar, G. A. (2001). Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum L.) extracts. Food Chemistry, 71(2), 153–158.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(00)00155-3

17. Prakash, D., Suri, S., Upadhyay, G., & Singh, B. N. (2011). Total phenol, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of some medicinal plants. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 58(1), 18–28.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09637480601093269

18. Tripathi, A., & Mishra, R. (2015). Synergistic antioxidant activity of medicinal plants. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 4(1), 144–149.

19. Valko, M., Leibfritz, D., Moncol, J., Cronin, M. T. D., Mazur, M., & Telser, J. (2007). Free radicals and antioxidants in normal physiological functions and human disease. International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 39(1), 44–84.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2006.07.001

20. Yadav, P., & Yadav, S. K. (2017). Synergistic antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of polyherbal formulations: A review. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 6(5), 222–227.