Discipline: Chemistry and Chemical Sciences
Subcategory: Chemistry (not Biochemistry)
Torhera Durand - University of the Virgin Islands
Co-Author(s): Narome Belus and Anayah Ferris, University of the Virgin Islands, VI
Antioxidants have been portrayed as substances that are greatly beneficial to human health and are widely used in a number of cosmetic and nutritional products. Antioxidants work to quench the formation of free radicals, thus, preventing cellular oxidation and the formation of certain illnesses like cancers, degenerative and cognitive illnesses, and the effects of aging. In nature, antioxidants can be found in a number of products, including, but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The purpose of our research was to determine the Total Antioxidant Activity in locally grown Virgin Islands plants (St. Croix, USVI) and to determine which plant had the highest Total Antioxidant Activity. Total Antioxidant Activity can be obtained from the Hydrophilic Antioxidant Activity (HAA) and the Lipophilic Antioxidant Activity (LAA). We hypothesized that for each of the plants tested the HAA would be greater than that of the LAA. Six locally grown plants were tested, Laurus nobilis (Bayleaf), Moringa oleifera (Moringa), Carica papaya (Papaya), Cymbopogon citratus (Lemon Grass), Capsicum anuum (Bell Pepper) and Plectranthus amboinicus (French Thyme). The antioxidant compounds for all six plants were extracted in aqueous and organic solutions for the HAA and the LAA, respectively. The antioxidant activities were measured using the ABTS/H2O2/HRP decoloration method using a UV-Visible Spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 730 nm for 5 minutes. The resulting antioxidant activities were expressed as (µmole Trolox Equivalent per gram dry weight). For all of the plants tested the HAA was generally higher than the LAA. Laurus nobilis (Bayleaf) had the highest Total Antioxidant activity (504.02 ± 36.17 µmole Trolox Equivalent per gram dry weight) while Plectranthus amboinicus (French Thyme) had the lowest Total Antioxidant Activity (31.86 ± 5.34 µmole Trolox Equivalent per gram dry weight). This lead to the acceptance of our hypothesis that the HAA would be greater than that of the LAA, and our findings promoted the consumption of Laurus nobilis for the greatest intake of antioxidants among the six plants tested.
Torhera Durand, Narome Belus and Anayah Ferris
Mentor: Dr. Bernard Castillo II
University of the Virgin Islands
Antioxidants have been portrayed as substances that are greatly beneficial to human health and are widely used in a number of cosmetic and nutritional products. Antioxidants work to quench the formation of free radicals, thus, preventing cellular oxidation and the formation of certain illnesses like cancers, degenerative and cognitive illnesses, and the effects of aging. In nature, antioxidants can be found in a number of products, including, but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The purpose of our research was to determine the Total Antioxidant Activity in locally grown Virgin Islands plants (St. Croix, USVI) and to determine which plant had the highest Total Antioxidant Activity. Total Antioxidant Activity can be obtained from the Hydrophilic Antioxidant Activity (HAA) and the Lipophilic Antioxidant Activity (LAA). We hypothesized that for each of the plants tested the HAA would be greater than that of the LAA. Six locally grown plants were tested, Laurus nobilis (Bayleaf), Moringa oleifera (Moringa), Carica papaya (Papaya), Cymbopogon citratus (Lemon Grass), Capsicum anuum (Bell Pepper) and Plectranthus amboinicus (French Thyme). The antioxidant compounds for all six plants were extracted in aqueous and organic solutions for the HAA and the LAA, respectively. The antioxidant activities were measured using the ABTS/H2O2/HRP decoloration method using a UV-Visible Spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 730 nm for 5 minutes. The resulting antioxidant activities were expressed as (?mole Trolox Equivalent per gram dry weight). For all of the plants tested the HAA was generally higher than the LAA. Laurus nobilis (Bayleaf) had the highest Total Antioxidant activity (504.02 ? 36.17 ?mole Trolox Equivalent per gram dry weight) while Plectranthus amboinicus (French Thyme) had the lowest Total Antioxidant Activity (31.86 ? 5.34 ?mole Trolox Equivalent per gram dry weight). This lead to the acceptance of our hypothesis that the HAA would be greater than that of the LAA, and our findings promoted the consumption of Laurus nobilis for the greatest intake of antioxidants among the six plants tested.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): This research is funded by NIH MBRS-RISE Grant #GM061325.
Faculty Advisor: Bernard Castillo, bcastil@uvi.edu
Role: I was part of plant collection, plant cleaning and extraction, and plant antioxidant assay.