Phenolic profile, antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts of Capparis spinosa L.

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the phytochemical compositions and biological activities of ethyl acetate (EtOAc), methanol (MeOH) and water extracts obtained from the aerial parts of Capparis spinosa L. As a result of spectrophotometric analyzes, MeOH extract was found to be richer in terms of both phenolics and flavonoids compared to other extracts [81.45 mg GAEs (gallic acid equivalent)/g and 36.57 mg RE (rutin equivalent)s/g, respectively], while chromatographic analyzes showed that the extract in question contains a significant amount of hepseridin (72927.48 µg/g), quercetin (1335.88 µg/g), hyperoside (1227.73 µg/g), and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (924.08 µg/g). Phosphomolybdenum, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging, Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Power (CUPRAC) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) reducing and ferrous ion chelating activity tests resulted in superiority of MeOH extract [371.0, 44.93, 56.46, 91.77, 52.61 mg TEs (trolox equivalent)/g and 14.85 mg EDTAEs/g, respectively]. On the other hand, EtOAc extract exhibited higher activity than other extracts in acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity tests [3.29, 2.12 mg GALAEs (galanthamine equivalent)/g, 541.01 and 1584.20 mg ACEs (acarbose equivalent)/g, respectively]. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity test resulted in the superiority of MeOH extract [41.90 mg KAEs (kojic acid equivalent)/g]. A strong correlation was determined between the phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts and their antioxidant activities.