Scientist Discover Potent Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Compounds in Kaliningrad Region Plants

IKBFU researchers discovered antioxidant and antimicrobial phenolic compounds in four plants growing in the Kaliningrad region — horse chestnut, sweet yellow clover, sea holly and red root. As anti-inflammatory drugs, extracts of these plants could potentially be used to treat heart and lung diseases. The findings of the study, supported гby a grant of the Russian Science Foundation, published in the scientific journal Foods and Raw Materials.

During inflammatory processes, cells accumulate harmful radicals and oxygen derivatives that can damage the membrane and DNA. Antioxidant substances are capable of preventing this damage. Medicinal plants are natural sources of antioxidants, as well as antimicrobial compounds. Unlike man-made antibiotics, these do not require expensive research and development. Academic medicine acknowledges the potential of plants and prioritises them for the treatment of many diseases. However, despite the presence of pronounced biological activity of potential interest to the medical community, some herbs are poorly understood.

Scientists from IKBFU, Kaliningrad State Technical University and Kemerovo State University studied antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of medicinal plants growing in the Kaliningrad region. The researchers focused on sea holly (Eryngium maritimum L.), sweet yellow clover (Melilotus officinalis Pall.), red root (Hedysarum neglectum Ledeb.) and horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), whose bioactive compounds have not yet been examined.

A high concentration of phenolic compounds, which are effective antioxidants, was found in the plant extracts, with the most amount of phenols being found in the leaves.

Among the examined plants, sea holly had the greatest antibacterial properties — half that of the industrially produced antibiotic kanamycin. Nevertheless, the plant can potentially be used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.