%0 Journal Article
%T DNA Damage Protecting Activity and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Anthocyanins from Red Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Bran
%A P. Suganya Devi
%A M. Saravana Kumar
%A S. Mohan Das
%J Biotechnology Research International
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/258787
%X There is increasing interest in natural food colorants like carotenoids and anthocyanins with functional properties. Red sorghum bran is known as a rich source for anthocyanins. The anthocyanin contents extracted from red sorghum bran were evaluated by biochemical analysis. Among the three solvent system used, the acidified methanol extract showed a highest anthocyanin content (4.7£¿mg/g of sorghum bran) followed by methanol (1.95£¿mg/g) and acetone (1£¿mg/g). Similarly, the highest total flavonoids (143£¿mg/g) and total phenolic contents (0.93£¿mg/g) were obtained in acidified methanol extracts than methanol and acetone extracts. To study the health benefits of anthocyanin from red sorghum bran, the total antioxidant activity was evaluated by biochemical and molecular methods. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in acidified methanol extracts of anthocyanin in dose-dependent manner. The antioxidant activity of the red sorghum bran was directly related to the total anthocyanin found in red sorghum bran. 1. Introduction Anthocyanins are becoming increasingly important not only as food colorants but also as antioxidants. Anthocyanins are reported to have some therapeutic benefits including vasoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties [1] and anticancer [2] as well as hypoglycemic effects [3]. There is a rising demand for natural sources of food colorants with nutraceutical benefits [4], and alternative sources of natural anthocyanins are becoming more important. Special features of the sorghum crop are very important in the world¡¯s human diet, with over 300 million people dependent on it [5]. Sorghum is one of the major staple foods in Africa, Middle East, and Asia. It is drought resistant and is, therefore, an extremely important commodity that provides necessary food and feed for millions of people living in semiarid environment worldwide. Sorghums have high levels of anthocyanins and other phenols concentrated in their brans [6, 7]. These sorghum bran fractions are potentially useful ingredients in various functional food applications and were shown to produce desirable attributes (e.g., attractive natural colour) without adversely affecting other sensory properties of foods. These ingredients are bound to play a crucial role in food applications as a diversified functional food base. However, to ensure their economic potential, the sorghum bran anthocyanins must be extracted in an efficient manner in which their original form is preserved as much as possible. Oxidation is essential to many living organisms for the production of energy
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/btri/2012/258787/