Antioxidant Effects and Fatty Acid Analysis of Leucojum aestivum Seed Coat Extracts

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the biochemical composition and antioxidant activity of Leucojum aestivum seed coats. In the crude extract the total phenolic content was determined to be 129.55 ± 1.94 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g, while the total flavonoid content was found to be 210.21 ± 7.91 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g. Additionally, the total flavonol, tannin, and proanthocyanidin contents were determined to be 9.63 ± 5.16 mg QE/g, 3.32 ± 0.14 mg GAE/g, and 129.89 ± 6.10 mg catechin equivalent (CAE)/g, respectively. Furthermore, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity showed a significant antioxidant potential with a concentration that results in 50% decrease in the initial DPPH concentration IC₅₀ value of 214.97 ± 50.44 mg QE/g in the crude extract. GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of various biologically active compounds, including hexadecanoic acid, oleic acid, and stigmasterol. Moreover, galantamine and galathan were identified in the seed coat extracts. Fatty acid analysis indicated the presence of compounds such as linoleic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid. This comprehensive study provides a detailed examination of seed coats and highlights the presence of biologically active compounds such as galantamine. This finding represents a study conducted for the first time in the literature, as no similar research focusing on L. aestivum seed coats has been conducted previously. Therefore, the results of the study provide new insights into the potential biological and pharmacological effects of seed coats and offer significant findings that could serve as a basis for future research.