Muhammad Ashraf 1, Nisar Ahmad 1*, Fazal Akbar 1*, Hina Fazal 2, Liaqat Ali 1, Sefura Farid 1 and Umar Ali 3
1Center for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat 19200, Pakistan 2Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Laboratories Complex, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan 3Department of Human Nutrition, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: ahmadn@uswat.edu.pk (NA); fazalakabar@uswat.edu.pk (FA)
Recently many lethal diseases are caused by oxidative stress. The accumulation of reactive species, including ROS and reactive nitrogen species, can be harmful to human health, as they can attack cells and tissues within the body, causing several diseases. Antioxidants are therefore needed exogenously by the body. Numerous antioxidant-based products are commercially available but have side effects. The plant-based natural antioxidants are preferred over synthetic antioxidants. Natural antioxidants are cost-effective as well as environmentally friendly. Araucaria heterophylla is a well-known medicinal plant in the family Araucariaceae. The major component of these species is known as carbohydrates-rich gum which possesses antioxidant, antimicrobial, antipyretic, neuroprotective, anticoagulant, and antiviral activities. Therefore, the main objective of the current study was to investigate the time and concentration-dependent antioxidant potential in the gum of Araucaria heterophylla. Here, four different concentrations (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10mg/10mL) were tested for antioxidant activity. The dose-dependent and time-dependent (05, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70min) activities displayed variation in antioxidant potential. The gum extract (10mg/10mL) of Araucaria heterophylla showed the highest activity (89%) after 60min incubation. However, the other concentrations (2.5-7.5mg/10mL) exhibited 31, 66, and 88% activities. These results suggest that the antioxidant activity is strongly dependent on incubation time and concentration. Hence the gum of Araucaria heterophylla is an excellent source of natural antioxidants and can be used by food and pharmaceutical industries for various human diseases.