Assessment of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Crambe spp. during vegetation

The search for new plant raw material as a potential source of antioxidants is still ongoing. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial capacity of the plant raw material of Crambe spp. during vegetation.

The free radical scavenging activity and molybdenum reducing power of the extracts were used to determine antioxidant activity. The quantification of polyphenol compounds was conducted with Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Flavonoids and phenolic acids were also determined. The disc diffusion method was used to determine antimicrobial activity.

It was determined that the free radical scavenging activity, assessed using the DPPH-method, was 4.38-8.20 mg TE/g DW, the molybdenum reducing power of the extracts was 40.07-129.12 mg TE/g DW, total polyphenol content was 20.24-70.88 mg GAE/g DW, total flavonoid content was 5.73-29.92 mg QE/g DW, and phenolic acid content was 3.00-10.63 mg CAE/g DW. Antimicrobial activity depended on the stage of growth and the part of the plant used.

Crambe spp. possess the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential to mean that they could be used in pharmaceutical studies and the food industry.