Phenolic compounds as well as flavonoids are well-known as antioxidant and many other important bioactive agents that have long been interested due to their benefits for human health, curing and preventing many diseases. This review attempts to demonstrate an overview of flavonoids and other phenolic compounds as the interesting alternative sources for pharmaceutical and medicinal applications. The examples of these phytochemicals from several medicinal plants are also illustrated, and their potential applications in pharmaceutical and medical aspects, especially for health promoting e.g., antioxidant effects, antibacterial effect, anti-cancer effect, cardioprotective effects, immune system promoting and anti-inflammatory effects, skin protective effect from UV radiation and so forth are highlighted.

https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6320/5/3/93/pdf

Flavonoids and Other Phenolic Compounds from Medicinal Plants for Pharmaceutical and Medical Aspects: An Overview.

Phenolic compounds are well-known phytochemicals found in all plants. They consist of simple phenols, benzoic and cinnamic acid, coumarins, tannins, lignins, lignans and flavonoids. Substantial developments in research focused on the extraction, identification and quantification of phenolic compounds as medicinal and/or dietary molecules have occurred over the last 25 years. Organic solvent extraction is the main method used to extract phenolics. Chemical procedures are used to detect the presence of total phenolics, while spectrophotometric and chromatographic techniques are utilized to identify and quantify individual phenolic compounds. This review addresses the application of different methodologies utilized in the analysis of phenolic compounds in plant-based products, including recent technical developments in the quantification of phenolics.

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Techniques for analysis of plant phenolic compounds.

Determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents in selected fruits and vegetables, as well as their stimulatory effects on mouse splenocyte proliferation

Antioxidant activity index (AAI) by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method

Honey samples from the seven most common honey types in Slovenia were screened for total phenolic content by the modified Folin– Ciocalteu method, for potential antioxidant activity using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and by the 1,1-diphenyl-2picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method for antiradical activity. In addition the colour characteristics of honey samples were analysed. The results of the study showed that total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and colour parameters differ widely among different honey types. Phenolic content expressed as gallic acid equivalent ranged from 44.8 mg/kg in acacia honey to 241.4 mg/kg in fir honey. Antioxidant activity was the lowest in the brightest acacia and lime honeys and the highest in darker honeys, namely fir, spruce and forest. The colour of the Slovenian honeys, analysed in this study was very variable and ranged from pale yellow to dark brown. Correlations between the parameters analysed were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analytical, Nutritional and Clinical Methods Evaluation of the phenolic content, antioxidant activity and colour of Slovenian honey

Determination of the total phenolic, flavonoid and proline contents in Burkina Fasan honey, as well as their radical scavenging activity.

A total of fourteen (14) species of wild edible fruits from Burkina Faso were analyzed for their phenolic and flavonoid contents, and their antioxidant activities using the DPPH, FRAP and ABTS methods. The data obtained show that the total phenolic and total flavonoid levels were significantly higher in the acetone than in the methanol extracts.Detarium microcarpum fruit had the highest phenolic and the highest flavonoid content,followed by that of Adansonia digitata, Ziziphus mauritiana, Ximenia americana and Lannea microcarpa. Significant amounts of total phenolics were also detected in the other fruit species in the following order of decreasing levels: Tamarindus indica > Sclerocaryabirrea > Dialium guineense > Gardenia erubescens > Diospyros mespiliformis > Parkiabiglobosa > Ficus sycomorus > Vitellaria paradoxa. Detarium microcarpum fruit also showed the highest antioxidant activity using the three antioxidant assays. Fruits with high antioxidant activities were also found to possess high phenolic and flavonoid contents. There was a strong correlation between total phenolic and flavonoid levels and antioxidant activities.

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Polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of fourteen wild edible fruits from Burkina Faso.

In vivo antimalarial activities of extracts from Amaranthus spinosus L. and Boerhaavia erecta L. in mice

Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic and Antipyretic Activities of Dicliptera verticillata

The increased resistance of microorganisms to the currently used antimicrobials has lead to the evaluation of other agents that might have antimicrobial activity. Medicinal plants are sources of phytochemicals which are able to initiate different biological activities including antimicrobials In vitro antibacterial (MIC, MBC and time-kill studies) of polyphenol-rich fractions from Sida alba L. (Malvaceae) was assessed using ten bacteria strains (Gram-negative and Gram-positive). All test bacteria were susceptible to the polyphenol-rich fractions. Time-kill results showed that after 5 h exposition there was no viable microorganism in the initial inoculum and the effect of polyphenol-rich fractions was faster on Enterococcus faecalis (Gram-positive bacterium) comparatively to the other bacteria strains. The data analysis indicates that the tested of polyphenol-rich fractions has significant effects when compared with the standard antibiotic. These results therefore justify the traditional use of sida alba L., alone or in combination with other herbs to treat bacterial infections.

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Odile Germaine Nacoulma

Papers

Determination of the total phenolic, flavonoid and proline contents in Burkina Fasan honey, as well as their radical scavenging activity.

Polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of fourteen wild edible fruits from Burkina Faso.

In vivo antimalarial activities of extracts from Amaranthus spinosus L. and Boerhaavia erecta L. in mice

Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic and Antipyretic Activities of Dicliptera verticillata

Antimicrobial activity of polyphenol-rich fractions from Sida alba L. (Malvaceae) against co-trimoxazol-resistant bacteria strains