Antioxidant activity of encapsulated walnut leaves extract

Alina-Madalina ALEXE
a,*
, Camelia VIZIREANU
a

a
Food Science, Food Engineering and Applied Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Food Science and
Engineering,Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, RO-800008, Domneasca Street, 47, Galati, Romania

*
Corresponding author: alina.alexe@ugal.ro

The increased interest for natural foods shown in the past few years motivated and
mobilized researchers to turn to dietary supplements to meet a number of conditions, such as
high antioxidant capacity or high content of fatty acids. Many researches showed that these
properties of a dietary supplement make it a natural cure for diseases like coronary heart disease,
cancer or other oxidative stress mediated diseases. The walnut (Juglans regia L) contains a
naphto-quinone named juglone with special bioactive properties such as preventing growth of
different bacteria. It is assumed that this compound is responsible for the antioxidant capacity of
walnut leaves.
In the present study, the aim is to establish the solvent mixture with the best ratio in the
extraction process of the walnut leaves, to encapsulate this extracts and test the antioxidant
activity of these capsules. The dried leaves were extracted on a ultrasonic water bath, with a
mixture of ethanol: water in different proportions 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20 (w/w). After the
extraction process, the extracts were concentrated using a rotavapor and were subjected to
analyze. This studys results proved that the highest antioxidant capacity is obtained from the
extract with a mixture of solvents 50:50 (w/w). All four types of thus obtained extracts have been
subjected to encapsulation through a simple method. The encapsulation procedure was
performed using a syringe with needle through which the capsules where poured into a solution
of calcium chloride. The antioxidant activity of the capsules was tested and showed similarity to
that of non-encapsulated extracts. The capsules obtained from the 50:50 (w/w) extract has the
highest ratio of antioxidant compounds.






REGI STRATI ON FORM


First name and family name: Alina-Madalina Alexe

University/Institute: Universitatea Dunarea de Jos Galati

Address: Str. Domneasca, nr. 111, cod 800201, Galai

Phone: 0741071360 Fax: _________________E-mail: alina.alexe@ugal.ro

Authors and paper title: Alina-Madalina Alexe, Camelia Vizireanu, Antioxidant activity of
encapsulated walnut leaves extract
Section: Food Biotechnology
The preferred form for paper presentation (oral / poster presentation): poster presentation