ENZIMAS HIDROLITICAS NEEM

ANTIOXIDANTS ENZYMES PRESENT IN AZADIRACHTA INDICA LEAVES

Fonseca Reyes M P., Anaya-Sosa, I. Cruz y Victoria, M.T

Graduados en Alimentos. Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas. Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Prol. Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n. 11340. México, D.F.

Tel. 57296300 ext 62475. Correo electrónico: pilifonseca@yahoo.com, tereipn@hotmail.com

Although oxidation reactions are crucial for life, they can also be damaging; plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple types of antioxidants, such as glutathione, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, vitamin A, and vitamin E as well as enzymes such as catalase, polyphenoloxidase and various peroxidases. Insufficient levels of antioxidants, or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, cause oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells.

This work focuses on the identification and characterization of the antioxidant enzyme content existing in leaf extracts of the neem tree. As part of the expectation to explain and spread some of the properties of this tree scientifically recognized, leads us to study it in depth from a biochemical viewpoint.

The presence of total phenolic compounds in neem leaves (0.08%), and flavonoids (0.04%), and the presence of antioxidative enzymes catalase, peroxidase, poliphenoloxidase, indicate potential health benefits. They may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, characteristics that have been proved in recent years.

For the extraction of enzymes of the neem tree leaves extractants were used since different ionic strength (distilled H2O, NaCl 1%, 5% NaCl), which yielded different extraction efficiencies.

The activity assay showed solutions the effect of NaCl concentration on each of the extractants. I was found the moderate increases in ionic strength promotes enzymes removal without interfering with their activity. The results showed that polyphenoloxidase were more active when it was extracted with a NaCl 5% solution (1010 UPFO). By other hand the peroxidase were better extracted with NaCl 5% (72 UPER). Catalase demonstrated high activity with distilled H2O (298 UCAT).

The presence of high activity of antioxidative enzymes suggest that the azadirachta indica leaves contribute by far to their antioxidants properties.

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