Designing new mother tinctures for increased antioxidant efficiency on inflammatory intestinal diseases

Abstract

Four mother tinctures of Filipendula ulmaria, Fraxinus excelsior, Gaultheria procumbens and Populus tremula were characterized from the point of view of the antioxidant effect, and were tested in vitro on colon cell cultures in order to select the most potent extracts for intestinal inflammatory pathologies. The antioxidant capacity of the selected tinctures was determined by measuring 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH)-radical-scavenging activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity. Our results showed that all extracts exhibited antioxidant capacity, but the greatest effect was observed for Filipendula ulmaria. In addition, it was revealed that they were not cytotoxic to intestinal Caco-2 cells, our findings providing valuable information for introducing these tinctures on the Romanian market of homeopathic products.