Analysis of Commercial Agricultural Waste Products for Antioxidant and Chemoprotective Activity
Oxidative stress occurs in all forms of aerobic life and is the result of reactive oxygen species in the form of free radicals which damage the cell membrane. Lesions on the cell caused by free radicals may lead to DNA mutation or cell death, but damage can be prevented by antioxidants which react with the oxygen species before it can damage the cell. The goal of this research is to find new antioxidants from agents recovered from waste-products generated during normal pomegranate commercial processing. Samples from the waste product will be tested for antioxidant activity by use of a novel microplate ferric thiocyanate antioxidant assay. The assay determines if the sample protects linoleic acid, a compound commonly found in cell membranes, from oxidation. If antioxidant activity is found, the sample is then tested on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to determine if the sample shows biological activity. The sample will then be analyzed to discover the mechanism by which chemoprotection occurs.
A sample called fer jui polyph has been shown to possess strong antioxidant activity. Protection begins to occur at 50 ¼g/ml in the microplate assay; biological activity has yet to be determined.
A sample called fer jui polyph has been shown to possess strong antioxidant activity. Protection begins to occur at 50 ¼g/ml in the microplate assay; biological activity has yet to be determined.
School:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department:
Microbiology
Research Advisor:
Michael J. Plewa
Department of Research Advisor:
Crop Sciences
Year of Publication:
2002