Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Antialzheimer Activities of Tagetes patula (Asteraceae)

Abstract

Plants are natural products used in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. In this study, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticholinesterase activities and total phenolic and flavonoid contents of Tagetes patula L. samples collected from Iraq were determined. The aerial parts of the plant were extracted with ethanol in a soxhlet device. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was measured with Rel Assay kits. Antimicrobial activity was determined by the agar dilution method against standard bacterial and fungal strains. To determine anticholinesterase activity acetyl and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitions were tested. The total phenolic content of the samples was carried out using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The quantification of flavonoids was conducted using an aluminum chloride assay. As a result of the analyses, the total antioxidant value of the plant extract was determined as 5.386 +/- 0.142 mmol Trolox equiv./L, the total oxidant value was 8.287 +/- 0.146 mu mol H2O2 equiv./L and the oxidative stress index was determined as 0.154 +/- 0.003. Plant extracts showed the highest activity against Candida species. It was also effective against bacterial and fungal strains at concentrations between 50-400 mu g/mL. Acetylcholinesterase activity of the plant extract was determined as 24.97 +/- 0.98, and butyrylcholinesterase activity was determined as 35.65 +/- 0.94. Additionally, its total phenolic content was determined as 63.64 +/- 0.74 mgGAE/g and its total flavonoid content was 108.9 +/- 1.55 mgQE/g. It has been determined that the plant has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiallergic potential.