Main Article Content

In vitro antioxidant and anti-HIV-1 protease (PR) activities of two Clusiaceae plants endemic to Tanzania


JJ Magadula
S Tewtrakul
J Gatto
P Richomme

Abstract

In this study, the ethanol extracts from Allanblackia ulugurensis Engl. and Mammea usambarensis Verdc. were evaluated for their antioxidant and anti-HIV PR activities. Among the tested extracts, the stem bark extract of M. usambarensis showed the highest DPPH activity value of 6,165 ± 152 ìmol TE/g, which is more than twice as higher as that of the standard (Chlorogenic acid, 3,056 ± 157 ìmol TE/g). Furthermore, in the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay, the crude extracts of the stem bark of M. usambarensis and root bark of A. ulugurensis showed significant activity at 12,282 ± 413 and 10,342 ± 562 ìmol TE/g respectively with standard compound (Chlorogenic acid) showing ORAC activity at 11,077 ± 236 ìmol TE/g. For anti-HIV-1 PR assay from the same extracts, the root bark and stem bark of A. ulugurensis showed strong inhibitory activities against HIV-1 protease with IC50 values of 4.1 and 5.6 ìg/ml, respectively while that of the standard, Acetyl pepstatin, was at 2.2 ìg/ml. This study has shown the potential of the Clusiaceae extracts as the source of possible lead compounds for antioxidants and anti-HIV drugs. Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of phenolic compounds while isolation of active principles from active fractions is inevitable.

Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1997-342X
print ISSN: 1991-8631