Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Argentine Northwest Fruits

Abstract

Many Northwest Argentinean fruits have been consumed since ancient times by native and rural communities because of their properties towards human health. In the present study, the antioxidant effect (free radicals scavenging capacity) and anti-inflammatory capacity (inhibitory effect on lipoxygenase enzyme) of regional fruits (Psychotria carthagenensis, Prosopis alba, Prosopis nigra, Ziziphus mistol, Cereus forbesii, Myrcianthes pungens, Morus nigra and Eugenia uniflora), were assayed. The results indicated that all fruits have DPPH radical scavenging activity in the following order: E. uniflora > C. forbesii > M. pungens > P.carthagenensis > Z. mistol >M. nigra > P. nigra > P. alba. The order of anti-inflammatory activity was: E. uniflora > P. carthagenensis > Z. mistol > M. pungens > C. forbesii > M. nigra > P. nigra > P. alba. A positive correlation was found between antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity.