Background: Ephedra is among Palestinian medicinal plants that are traditionally used in folkloric medicine for
treating many diseases. Ephedra is known to have antibacterial and antioxidant effects. The goal of this study is to
evaluate the antioxidant activity of different extracts from the Ephedra alata plant growing wild in Palestine, and to
analyze their phenolic and flavonoid constituents by HPLC/PDA and HPLC/MS.
Materials and Methods: Samples of the Ephedra alata plant grown wild in Palestine were extracted with three
different solvents namely, 100% water, 80% ethanol, and 100% ethanol. The extracts were analyzed for their total
phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity (AA), as well as phenolic and flavonoids
content by HPLC/PDA/MS.
Results: The results revealed that the polarity of the extraction solvent affects the TPC, TFC, and AA of extracts. It
was found that both TPC and AA are highest for plant extracted with 80% ethanol, followed by 100% ethanol, and
finally with 100% water. TFC however was highest in the following order: 100% ethanol > 80% ethanol > water.
Pearson correlation indicated that there is a significant correlation between AA and TPC, but there is no correlation
between AA and TFC. Simultaneous HPLC-PDA and UHPLC-MS analysis of the ethanolic plant extracts revealed the
presence of Luteolin-7-O-glucuronide flavone, Myricetin 3-rhamnoside and some other major polyphenolic
compounds that share myricetin skeleton.
Conclusion Ephedra alata extract is rich in potent falvonoid glycosidic compounds as revealed by their similar
overlaid UV-Vis spectra and UHPLC-MS results. On the basis of these findings, it is concluded that Ephedra alata
constitutes a natural source of potent antioxidants that may prevent many diseases and could be potentially used in
food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products.
(Science and Education Publishing, 2014-12-06) Al-Rimawi, Fuad; Odeh, Imad; Bisher, Abdallah; Abbadi, Jehad; Qabbajeh, Mohammad
The effect of geographical region and harvesting date (seasonal change) on antioxidant activities (AA), total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of olive leaves obtained from different geographical regions of Palestine (north, middle, and south) at different maturation stages (June 2013, October 2013, and January 2014) was investigated in this study. Results revealed that both geographical region and maturation stage affect AA, TPC, and TFC of the olive leaves. Highest AA, TPC, and TFC were obtained for samples collected in June. TPC was found to be highest in north and lowest in south, while the highest AA, and TFC contents were alternating between north, middle, and south. During different maturation stages, TPC, TFC, and AA varied between 21.56 - 47.52 mg (GAE), 19.3 - 32.6 mg catechin equivalents, 318.53 – 1106.43 μmol FRAP equivalents per gram of dry olive leaves, respectively.