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Screening of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of various date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruits from Algeria

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Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism

Abstract

The phenolic contents of methanolic extracts from five varieties of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruits from Algeria, Deglet Nour (DN), Degla Baidha (DB), Ghars (Gh), Tamjhourt (Tam), and Tafezauine (Taf) were measured in this work. The antioxidant activities of these extracts were also evaluated. Total phenolic content ranged from 41.80 to 84.73 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g and the total flavonoid content varied from 7.52 to 14.10 mg rutin equivalents (RE)/100 g. The antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts were evaluated in vitro using scavenging assays of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) radical ion (ABTS+) and potassium ferricyanide complex as reducing power assay. Effective scavenging concentration (IC50) on DPPH radical ranged from 10.83 to 21.27 mg/l, the IC50 values decreased in the order DN > Gh > Tam > DB > Taf. ABTS radical cation scavenging activity (trolox equivalent 1.66–3.35 mM), the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity values decreased in the order of DN > Gh > DB > Tam > Taf. In the potassium ferricyanide complex assay, the antioxidant capacity of the extracts ranged between 2.06 and 4.21 mM ascorbic acid equivalents and the ascorbic acid equivalents antioxidant capacity values of the extracts decreased in the order Gh > Tam > DB > DN > Taf. These results suggest that all date varieties constitute a good source of natural antioxidants and could potentially be considered as a functional food.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mr. Acourene Said (INRAA, Station Sidi-Madi, Touggourt) and Mr. Belguedj (INRAA, UR, Biskra) for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire V.P.R.S, Université de Ouargla, Route de Ghardaia, BP 511, 30000, Ouargla, Algeria

    Ghiaba Zineb, Mustapha Boukouada & Mohktar Saidi

  2. Laboratoire des Sciences Fondamentales, Université Amar Telidji de Laghouat, Route de Ghardaia, BP 37G, 03000, Laghouat, Algeria

    Amar Djeridane & Mohamed Yousfi

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  1. Ghiaba Zineb
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  2. Mustapha Boukouada
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Correspondence to Mohamed Yousfi.

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Zineb, G., Boukouada, M., Djeridane, A. et al. Screening of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of various date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruits from Algeria. Mediterr J Nutr Metab 5, 119–126 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12349-011-0082-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12349-011-0082-7

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