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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of aqueous extracts of Pterospartum tridentatum samples, collected in three locations in Portugal, at diferente vegetative stages.

The aerial parts of Pterospartum tridentatum, a wild growing species in Portugal used in traditional medicine and gastronomy, were harvested at different stages (vegetative phase, flowering phase and beginning of dormancy) in two locations in Portugal (Malcata and Gardunha mountains), and the respective aqueous extracts have been studied. The influence of the seasonal variation in the extraction yield, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity was evaluated. The extraction was carried out in boiling water in consecutive steps. After each step, the aqueous extract was separated and fresh water was added maintaining the same plant material. The procedure was repeated seven times, within an overall time period of 180 minutes. Higher extraction yields were achieved with plant stems collected at the vegetative phases, either from Malcata or Gardunha regions. The total phenolic content of the extracts from Malcata plants ranged from 273 mg to 400 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry matter, which was quite similar to that determined for extracts from Gardunha (245 to 394 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry matter). The antioxidant activity was determined by the radical scavenging activity method using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH). The greatest radical scavenging activity was observed in the flowers extracts, even though all extracts produced presented a good antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity was not affected by the exposure of the plant material at 100ºC for long periods of time (180 min). The results show that Pterospartum tridentatum has a great potential to be used as a new source of natural antioxidants for the food industry.

doi:10.1016/j.profoo.2011.09.215

Tendo em vista a valorização deste recurso natural, este trabalho tem como principal objectivo a produção de extractos aquosos das partes aéreas da carqueja e a sua caracterização.

Comunicação da qual só está disponível o resumo.

Identificação de compostos bioativos em plantas silvestres e plantas in vitro de Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk.

Atividade antioxidante e antimicrobiana de extratos de plantas de Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk. in vitro e silvestres.

This work aimed to optimize the in vitro multiplication phase of the gore (Pterospartum tridentatum (L. Wilk)).

The bioactivity of natural antioxidants from plant extracts is well known. Still, the effectiveness of these natural antioxidants, namely polyphenols, depends on preserving their stability, which can be increased by microencapsulation. The aim of this study was to protect natural antioxidants from the aqueous extract of Portuguese wild herb Pterospartum tridentatum by encapsulation in alginate hydrogel microbeads. Microbeads were prepared by electrostatic extrusion technique: plain Ca-alginate microbeads and Ca-alginate microbeads with 10 and 20 mass% of inulin as a filler substance. Total polyphenol content (TPC) and the radical scavenging activity using ABTS and DPPH cations were determined. The release studies of polyphenols from microbeads were performed. The microbeads were analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM). Encapsulation efficiency (EE) was in the range from 49 to 73%. Antioxidant assays and release studies showed that alginate-inulin microbeads appeared to be suitable dosage forms. The inclusion of inulin contributes to improved microbeads structure, as well as to nutritional values of food. Thereby, potential applications of these microbeads could be functional food products, an increasingly valued market.