Evaluation of antioxidant, antiradicalic and antimicrobial activities of kernel date (fructus dactylus)

In order to determine the antioxidant and radical scavenging properties of kernel date (Fructus dactylus) the following analysis were conducted: The total antioxidant activity via the ferric thiocyanate method; 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazole- 6-sulphonate) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity; superoxide anion radical (O2•-) scavenging activity; the total reduction power through potassium ferricyanide reduction method; Cupric ions (Cu2+) reduction capacity through Cuprac method; hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and chelating activity of ferrous ions (Fe2+). Additionally, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the kernel of date (KD) (Fructus dactylus) were determined. Furthermore, α-tocopherol, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and quercetin were used as the reference antioxidant compounds. Both KD-Aquous extract and KD-ethanol extract exhibited the highest phenol (KD-AE:107; KD-EE237 μg GAE mg-1 extract) and flavonoid (KD-AE:210; KD-EE:236 μg QE mg-1 extract) contents and displayed the highest antioxidant activity. KD-AE and KD-EE exhibited high antibacterial activitiy against eleven bacteria with Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) values ranging from 12.50 to 250 mu l/ ml.