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Article

Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Ephedra alata Stems: Structural Characterization, Functional Properties, and Antioxidant Activity

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Laboratory for the Improvement of Plants and Valorization of Agroresources, National School of Engineering of Sfax (ENIS), University of Sfax, Sfax 3038, Tunisia
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ESCOM, UTC, EA 4297 TIMR, 1 Allée du Réseau Jean-Marie Buckmaster, 60200 Compiègne, France
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Nutrition and Food Science Area, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Universitat de València, Faculty of Pharmacy, Avda; Vicent Andrés Estellés, s/n, 46100 Burjassot, València, Spain
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Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Natural Substances section, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, PB 802, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Cédric Delattre
Molecules 2020, 25(9), 2210; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25092210
Received: 10 April 2020 / Revised: 28 April 2020 / Accepted: 6 May 2020 / Published: 8 May 2020
In this study, the physicochemical characterization, functional properties, and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides extracted from Ephedra alata (EAP) were investigated. EAP were extracted in water during 3 h with a liquid/solid ratio of 5 in a water bath at 90 °C. The structure of the extracted EAP was examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The functional properties and biochemical activities of EAP were determined. The chemical analysis revealed that the contents of carbohydrates, uronic acid, and proteins were 73.24% ± 1.24%, 6.82% ± 0.57%, and 6.56% ± 0.36%, respectively. The results showed that the extracted EAP essentially contain three functional groups: C=O, C-H, and O-H. SEM images showed that EAP present numerous high porosity particles. The monosaccharide composition revealed a polymer composed of glucose (43.1%), galactose (36.4%), mannose (14.9%), arabinose (3.7%), and gluconic acid (1.7%). EAP showed interesting functional properties (solubility, oil holding capacity, foaming and emulsion properties). Finally, the results revealed that EAP displayed excellent antihypertensive and antioxidant activities. Overall, EAP present a promising natural source of food additives, antioxidants, and antihypertensive agents. View Full-Text
Keywords: Ephedra alata; polysaccharides; physicochemical characterization; functional properties; antioxidant activities Ephedra alata; polysaccharides; physicochemical characterization; functional properties; antioxidant activities
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MDPI and ACS Style

Soua, L.; Koubaa, M.; Barba, F.J.; Fakhfakh, J.; Ghamgui, H.K.; Chaabouni, S.E. Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Ephedra alata Stems: Structural Characterization, Functional Properties, and Antioxidant Activity. Molecules 2020, 25, 2210. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25092210

AMA Style

Soua L, Koubaa M, Barba FJ, Fakhfakh J, Ghamgui HK, Chaabouni SE. Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Ephedra alata Stems: Structural Characterization, Functional Properties, and Antioxidant Activity. Molecules. 2020; 25(9):2210. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25092210

Chicago/Turabian Style

Soua, Leila, Mohamed Koubaa, Francisco J. Barba, Jawhar Fakhfakh, Hanen K. Ghamgui, and Semia E. Chaabouni. 2020. "Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Ephedra alata Stems: Structural Characterization, Functional Properties, and Antioxidant Activity" Molecules 25, no. 9: 2210. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25092210

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