Screening of Some Plant Species for Their Total Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities

Abstract

In this study aqueous/ethanol extracts of 42 plant species collected from same geographic region (Karaburun/İzmir) were screened for their relative total phenol contents, total antioxidant and antibacterial activities. In the first part of the study, Folin- ciocalteu assay and PCL (Photochemiluminescence) method were performed to detect the total phenol contents and total antioxidant activities of extracts, respectively.It was detected that the Hypericum empetrifolium had the highest activities for both water soluble and lipid soluble antioxidants and Sarcopterium spinosum has the highest result for total phenol assay as 635.26 GAEqmg/g sample.In order to detect the antibacterial activities of extracts a preliminary screening study was performed by using disc diffusion method. Out of the 42 plant species tested, 26 species exhibited antibacterial activities by inhibiting one or more microorganisms.Microdilution assays by 96 well plates were applied for the most active species to find out their minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs). The most promising plant species in the study, having the antibacterial activities were determined as H. empetrifolium, P.terebinthus, Arbutus unedo, and C. parviflorus.In this study there is a clear relationship between the analysis results and S.spinosum is one of the most noteworthy species in this study showing the highest total phenol content and important biological activities which has never been examined scientifically before. In that manner this study also presents new potential species that can be used as natural raw materials in some related industries.