ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF A LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT POLYSACCHARIDE FROM CLOVE BUDS (Syzygium aromaticum L.): PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION
Abstract
Plant polysaccharides have attracted increasing attention as natural bioactive compounds due to their diverse biological activities and potential health-promoting effects. Their antioxidant properties are of particular interest because oxidative stress is closely associated with the development and progression of various chronic and metabolic disorders. Clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum L.) are widely recognized for their biological properties, which are commonly attributed to their phenolic compounds and essential oils, whereas their polysaccharide fraction remains comparatively less explored. Investigation of this fraction may therefore provide further insight into the contribution of clove polysaccharides to the biological properties of this medicinal plant. In the present study, a polysaccharide obtained from clove buds was characterized in terms of its physicochemical and structural properties and evaluated for its antioxidant potential. A polysaccharide fraction was obtained from clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum L.) using microwave-assisted extraction, followed by purification and physicochemical characterization. The isolated polysaccharide contained only 0.08% protein and showed a phenolic content of 0.0504 mg GAE/mg. Monosaccharide composition analysis identified mannose as the predominant monosaccharide, together with other sugar residues, confirming the heteropolysaccharide nature of the sample. Molecular weight analysis classified the isolated material as a low-molecular-weight heteropolysaccharide. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the characteristic functional groups of the polysaccharide and indicated a relatively high degree of esterification, supporting its distinct structural characteristics.
Publication Details
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.