Strong Antihemolytic and Antioxidant Properties of Aqueous Extract from Algerian Hammada elegans (Bge.) Botsch (Chenopodiaceae)

Background: Research on medicinal plant antioxidants has emerged as a potential therapeutic to prevent free radical generated damage in the human body. Hammada elegans Botsch (popularly known as “Ajram”) is a xerophytic plant widely found in Laghouat region, but there are only a few reports about the biological or chemical properties of these species. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate the antioxidant and the antihemolytic activities of hexanic, acetonic, methanolic and aqueous extracts of aerial parts of Algerian Hammada elegans Botsch by employing different in vitro assay systems. Methods: The total phenolic content, the flavonoid content and the condensed tannin amount were analyzed using Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride and vanillin assays, respectively. The in vitro antioxidant capacity of extracts was assessed by CUPRAC, iron chelating, ABTS•+ and antihemolytic assays, and was expressed as EC50 values. Results: Among the analyzed extracts, the aqueous extract had the highest phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents. Also, this extract displayed the highest antioxidant capacities compared to the other extracts and standards. Its EC50 value for ABTS radical-scavenging activity was 0.265 ± 0.003 mg/L. Moreover, this extract showed high iron (II) chelating ability (EC50 = 0.958 ± 0.001 mg/L), and good antioxidant activity in the cupric ion reducing activity (CUPRAC) in a concentration dependent manner (EC50 were 0.709 ± 0.002 mg/L). Additionally, this extract had the best antihemolytic activity against AAPH-induced hemolysis (EC50=0.090 ± 0.004 mg/L). Conclusion: Our study revealed that the aqueous extract of Hammada elegans Botsch, is a potential source of antioxidants which possess a high protective effect of membrane against free radical.