ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES AND PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF DIFFERENT MOTHER TINCTURES AGAINST FOOD-BORNE BACTERIA

In this study, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of different mother tinctures against a range of food-borne bacteria and their major components were analyzed and determined. The antioxidant results demonstrated a significant activity of different mother tinctures; radical-scavenging activity of the hydroalcoholic extracts were found to be the highest in Aloe socotrina and Crataegus oxyacantha (330.12±83.22 and 266.71±28.32 mg TE/100 ml, respectively). The ferric reducing power FRAP was 1753.54±224.64 mg TE/100 ml, indicating the highest antioxidant ability of Aloe socotrina extract; while, the BCB method evidenced that Asparagus officinalis, Calendula officinalis and Hieracium pilosella mother tinctures were the most active. The amount of total phenols ranged from 12.43±0.61 to 944.02±2.53 mg GAE/100 mL, observed in Asparagus officinalis and Aloe socotrina, respectively. The highest flavonoid content was found in Aloe socotrina with 15137,67±1268.90 mg Quercetin/100 mL, while the lowest content was found in Asparagus officinalis and Carduus marianus. Aloe socotrina and Crataegus oxyacantha had the highest tannins content, 457,58±2.84 and 342.76±19.73 mg Tannic acid/100mL, respectively; while Asparagus officinalis and Calendula officinalis showed the lowest value. The antimicrobial activity and the MIC of the mother tinctures were evaluated against selected bacterial strains; Results provided a different inhibitory effect intra- and inter-family. The most effective extracts were those belonging to Asteraceae family, in particular Tarassacum dens leonis, Hieracium pilosella, Echinacea angustifolia and also Prunus cerasus of Rosaceae family. The observed antimicrobial and antioxidant activities might be due to the synergistic actions of bioactive compounds detected in the mother tinctures and could be applied in pharmaceutical field, establishing an important role of mother tinctures in phytotherapy and also in food preservation, alternative medicine and natural therapies.