Chemical modification and antioxidant activities of Carissa carandas fruit polysaccharides

Herein, Carissa carandas fruit was utilized as a new source of pectic polysaccharides and the antioxidant activities of these polysaccharides were evaluated before and after modification comparatively. Hot water extraction at 90 degrees C for 2 h with 50 g fruit powder and 1 L of hot water, and ethanol precipitation was performed to prepare crude polysaccharides. After extraction and precipitation, the crude polysaccharides were purified using activated carbon and modified with the help of the alcoholic-ammonia method. The native Carissa carandas fruit polysaccharides (CCFP-1) and modified Carissa carandas fruit polysaccharides (CCFP-2) were characterized using UV, FTIR and SEM analytical techniques. Structural conformation analysis revealed that a triple helix structure was absent in both the CCFP-1 and CCFP-2 while morphological analysis showed that the smooth porous surface of CCFP-1 was transformed into a non-porous surface after sucessuful modification. At 100 mu g/ml of polysaccharides dose, CCFP-1 displayed 56.26% DPPH, 36.83% OH and 51.51% inhibition of beta carotene bleaching while CCFP-2 performed 69.98% DPPH, 44.30% OH and 53.75% inhibition of beta carotene bleaching antioxidant activities. Statistical analysis revealed that modification has improved the antioxidant activities of Carissa carandas fruit polysaccharides significantly (p < 0.05). It is very reasonable to conclude that Carissa carandas fruit polysaccharides may be utilized as a preservative in different articles of food, pharmaceutics and other functional commodities. [GRAPHICS] .

Automated summary

In this study, pectic polysaccharides were extracted from Carissa carandas fruit and their antioxidant activities were compared before and after modification. The modified polysaccharides showed significantly improved antioxidant activities, indicating their potential use as preservatives in various food, pharmaceutical, and functional commodities.