EXPLORING ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF DATE AND Fenugreek ESSENTIAL OILS: INVESTIGATING INDIVIDUAL AND COMBINED EFFECTS USING IN VITRO AND IN SILICO ANALYSIS
Authors: Rasha Saad Suliman, Priya Breitener, Amal Ahmed Almuflehi, Aya Khaldoon Al Zaghir, Hiba Elamin Elsadig, Sara Faraj Eisa Alfalahi, Hussah N Albahlal, Sahar S. Alghamdi
Received September 2, 2024
Accepted for publication November 28, 2024
Published December 30, 2024. Volume 2:2 Pages 84—98
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Peer reviewer comments 2 Correspondence: ghamdi@ksau-hs.edu.sa, RASHA.Suliman@actvet.gov.ae
Abstract
Antioxidants play a pivotal role in mitigating the damaging effects of oxidative stress, which is a major contributor to the development of various diseases. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), known for its wide range of therapeutic properties, contains bioactive compounds that have been shown to counteract oxidative stress. Similarly, dates (Phoenix dactylifera) are widely used for their nutritional value and health-promoting benefits, particularly in their capacity to protect against chronic diseases. Although the individual antioxidant properties of fenugreek and dates are well-established, their combined effects have yet to be comprehensively explored. This study seeks to address this gap by investigating the antioxidant potential of a fenugreek oil and date oil combination. To test our hypothesis, we employed in vitro and silico methods. Specifically, laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the radical scavenging activity of fenugreek oil, date oil, and their combination (mixture) using the DPPH assay. Concurrently, the antioxidant potential of the mixture was evaluated through in silico analysis using the PASS (Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances) computational tool. Our findings revealed that the combination of fenugreek and date palm oils exhibited a dose-dependent increase in antioxidant activity. In addition, the in silico results suggested that fenugreek and date oils exhibit comparable antioxidant activity, with date oil displaying a slightly higher range. Consequently, we hypothesize that the combined oils would retain a similar antioxidant effect, although possibly reduced somewhat compared to their individual effects. In conclusion, fenugreek and date palm oils independently demonstrate significant antioxidant properties. However, these oils exhibit a marginally reduced overall antioxidant effect when combined, providing new insights into their effects following in vitro analysis.
KEYWORDS: Antioxidant; Date oil (Phoenix dactylifera); Fenugreek oil (Trigonella foenum-graecum); In vitro methods; In silico analysis.
