Studies on the effect of fermentation based biotransformation on bioactive properties of medicinal plant extracts

Abstract

The present study entitled Studies on the effect of fermentation based biotransformation on bioactive properties of medicinal plant extracts was undertaken with the objective of optimization of fermentation parameters and investigation of the effect of fermentation on the phytochemical composition and bioactive properties of medicinal plant extracts. Five medicinal plants were chosen for the study namely Acacia catechu, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica, Cinnamomum tamala and Ocimum sanctum.Also, five probiotic microbes namely Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MTCC-180), Bacillus subtilis (MTCC-2389), Lactobacillus acidophilus (NCIM-5307), Lactobacillus plantarum (MTCC-1407) and Lactobacillus casei (NCIM-5304) were selected for carrying out different fermentation processes. Four different fermentation parameters viz., inoculum load, pH, temperature and incubation time were optimized.Furthermore, out of five plants under study, highest total phenolic content(TPC)of 883.81±7.89mg GAE/g extractand total flavonoid content (TFC)of 662.86±4.08 mg QE/g extractwas observed in A. catechuethyl acetate extract fermented by S. cerevisaeas compared to non-fermented control. Similar results were observed in case of DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50value of 1.43±0.39 and#956;g/mL) reducing power(IC50value of29.74±0.67 and#956;g/mL, chelating power on ferrous (Fe2+) ions (76.62±1.99%), superoxide (O-2) radical scavenging activity(IC50value of12.09±1.07 and#956;g/mL), hydroxyl (OH-) radical scavenging activity(IC50 value of 17.39±0.13 and#956;g/mL), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (952.49±2.36mM Fe2+/g extract), acetylcholinesterase (85.01±1.83%), and#945;-amylase (89.32±2.53%), and#945;-glucosidase (85.34±2.82%) and tyrosinase (84.88±1.09%) inhibitory activity. A. catechu methanolic extract fermented by L. casei showed the remarkable antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae (MTCC-7162) with inhibition zone diameter of 26.44±2.37 mm. Phenolic acids profiling of non-fermented and fermented plant extracts was performed by high performance liquid