Scavenging Capacity of Superoxide Radical and Screening of Antimicrobial Activity of Castanea sativa Mill. Extracts

The superoxide radical scavenging and antimicrobial activity were examined of sweet chestnuts: seeds, peeled chestnut, brown seed coat, leaves, catkin, spiny burs, and chestnut bark as well as of Lovranʹs marrone leaves and grafted Italian marrone cultivar. Parts of chestnut were extracted under the same conditions with 50% ethanol as extractant and afterwards the dry extracts of the examined samples were obtained. The total phenolics and flavonoids contents were determined using standard spectrophotometrical methods. The capacity of the investigated extracts to remove radicals was evaluated by EPR method. The most efficient in scavenging •O" radicals proved to be the extracts of leaves of grafted Italian marrone (RI = 86%) and of Lovranʹs marrone cultivar (RI = 80%). Catkin, leaves, chestnut bark, and spiny burs extracts demonstrated the highest antimicrobial activity. Very significant and significant correlations were established between the antimicrobial activity of extracts and •O" radicals scavenging in all samples examined. The extracts of Castanea Sativa Mill. are important sources of components active in reducing the level of oxidative stress.