Comparative Investigation of Chemical Constituents of Kernels, Leaves, Husk, and Bark of Juglans regia L., Using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS Analysis and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Molecules. 2022 Dec 16;27(24):8989. doi: 10.3390/molecules27248989.

Abstract

Leaves, husk, kernels, and bark methanolic extracts of Juglans regia L. were tested for their in vitro antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. For these purposes, α-amylase and α-glucosidase were used as the main enzymes to evaluate antidiabetic activities. Moreover, lipoxidase and tyrosinase activities were tested to estimate anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidant properties of Juglans regia L., extracts were determined using three different assays. Leaves extract has an important radical scavenging activity and a-amylase inhibition. Similarly, husk extracts showed high total phenolic content (306.36 ± 4.74 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry extract) with an important α-amylase inhibition (IC50 = 75.42 ± 0.99 µg/mL). Kernels exhibit significant tyrosinase (IC50 = 51.38 ± 0.81 µg/mL) correlated with antioxidant activities (p < 0.05). Husk and bark extracts also showed strong anti-lipoxidase activities with IC50 equal to 29.48 ± 0.28 and 28.58 ± 0.35 µg/mL, respectively. HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS analysis highlights the phenolic profile of methanolic extracts of Juglans regia L. plant parts. The identified polyphenols were known for their antioxidant, antidiabetic (dicaffeoyl-quinic acid glycoside in kernels), and anti-inflammatory (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid in leaves) activities. Further investigations are needed to determine molecular mechanisms involved in these effects as well as to study the properties of the main identified compounds.

Keywords: HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS; Juglans regia L.; anti-inflammatory; antidiabetic activity; antioxidant; phenolic profile; plant parts.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / analysis
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants* / chemistry
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / chemistry
  • Juglans* / chemistry
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase
  • Phenols / analysis
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Plant Bark / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry
  • alpha-Amylases

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase
  • Plant Extracts
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Phenols
  • alpha-Amylases

Grants and funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.