Study of Phyto-Nutrients from Apricot and In Vivo Assessment of Their Bioactivity

Abstract

Plant based medicines are being extensively utilized for the treatment of different health ailments due to the presence of abundant number of secondary metabolites. Apricot is a highly nutritious fruit with a rich composition of health promoting compounds and a unique taste. Secondary metabolites found in apricot promot the human health due to their capability of combatting the oxidation reactions taking place in the body. Apricot belongs to subclass Rosidae, family Rosaceae and Genus Prunus small to medium-sized tree with a trunk having dense spreading canopy. Fruit of this plant possess pharmacologically important activities. Therefore, current study was conducted to assess the biological and phytochemical properties of apricot in vitro and in vivo by using different techniques. Apricot fruit samples were assessed for their amino acids profile, antioxidant, antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, hepatoprotective effects as well P-gp mediated drug resistant efflux. Samples were taken from three different areas of Pakistan i.e. Gilgit apricot fruit sample (GAFS), Quetta apricot fruit sample (QAFS) and Ayubia apricot fruit sample (AAFS). Among the tested cultivars, GAFS has provided better physico-chemical and biological attributes due to having high levels of phytochemicals. Higher amount of phenolic contents (122.6±4.26 mg gallic acid equivalent per100 g) were found in GAFS followed by AAFS (112.4±3.28 mg gallic acid equivalent per100 g), and QAFS (82.17±7.82 mg gallic acid equivalent per100 g). GAFS determined as having ascorbic acid (28.24+ 2.46 mg per100g) is more than AAFS (22.3+ 2.62 mg per100g) and QAFS (21.15+ 1.22 mg per100g) on dry weight basis. Higher levels of flavonoids (94.18±2.46 mg quercetin equivalent per 100 gm) were found in QAFS as compared to GAFS (92.18±2.9 mg quercetin equivalent per100 gm) and AAFS (84±3.6 mg quercetin equivalent per100 gm). Major minerals in GAFS were determined as Ca (41.4+ 1.2), Cr (0.168+0.02), Cu (7.86+1.0), Fe (3.42+0.21), Mg (33.7+2.49) Mn (0.22+0.11) and Zn (0.2+0.01). Apricot fruit samples from Gilgit (GAFS) found having significant antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTs, Hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays. Fruit samples QAFS and AAFS also exhibited significant antioxidant and free radicals scavenging activity using FRAP and Hydroxyl radical scavenging assay. Higher Ferric reducing antioxidant activity was observed for GAFS (38.6 + 3.17 percent) as compared to QAFS (32.4 + 1.73) and AAFS (29.4 + 0.011) at concentration of (500 μg per ml). μg per ml). μg per ml). μg per ml). μg per ml). μg per ml). μg per ml). μg per ml). The IC50 value of GAFS was (97.41 μg), with reference to (r2 = 0.987). Fruit extracts have shown significant results in maintaining the normal levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP and total bilirubin) determined after the induction of CCL4. Apricot fruit extract also exhibited significant inhibitory effect on intestinal P-gp related functionality which resulted in significant increase of talinolol concentration in blood plasma (Cmax and AUC0–12 were 1.62 ± 0.062 and 10.05 ± 0.079, respectively). The results of the present study revealed that fruit extracts of apricot are a good source for nutraceuticals having therapeutically important biological activity. Therefore phytochemical compounds like quercetin and others can be a good source of pharmaceutical materials required for the preparation of important medicines for human and animals against ailments having tolerable or very low side effects.