In this study, the ability of hexane (HSE), chloroform (CSE), ethyl acetate (EASE) and methanolic (MSE) stems extracts from Phragmites australis or EDTA (as standard) to chelate iron using ferrozine method or zinc and copper using the murexide method is carried out in vitro. When the increased volumes of the HSE studied were taken from a stock solution of a fixed concentration 1 mg/ml at 25-175 μl for the iron and zinc chelating assay, 1-7 mg/ml for the copper chelating assay gave a significant (p≤ 0.01) activity. The obtained results showed that the HSE have the highest capacity to chelate ferrous ions below the EDTA (standard chelator) with absorbance arrive to the lesser extent 0.24±0.005, 0.04±0.013 which expresses 86% and 97% (compared to the control) of inhibition, respectively. For the murexide chelation, the results obtained also showed that the HSE and EDTA have a good (p≤ 0.01) chelating dose dependent effect towards zinc and copper ions with increased absorbance 0.45±0.02 and 0.42±0.02 with 54% and 56% of inhibition, respectively, for the zinc chelation and 0.66±0.03, 0.13±0.005 represent 44% and 88% for copper chelation. In contrast to the antioxidant capacity, the extract of hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform and methanol from leaves, stems and roots of the Phragmites australis plant have a very low scavenger effect to the radical DPPH where the maximum inhibition is approximately 13.79%, obtained with the maximum volume. Finally, the HPLC analysis of effective extract (HSE) confirmed the presence of oxalic, citric, malic, succinic, fumaric, formic, acetic, propionic and butyric or iso butyric acid.

No abstract

Introduction: Heavy metals that enter organisms can cause illness and disease. Chelation therapy is a solution that uses chelating agents to protect these organisms by high accumulation. Materials and methods: The objective of this study is to evaluate the capability of different roots extracts from reed or EDTA (as standard) to complexate iron using, ferrozine-ferrous reducing assay or Zn and Cu using the murexide-Zn or Cu reducing assay in vitro. Results: the results proved that the organic phase of the first extract and EDTA (standard chelator), have the strongest chelation activities with respective rates of 70% and 97% for iron, 55% and 56% for zinc and 47% and 88% for copper compared to the control groups considered to be 100% of the complexation. Finally, the HPLC analysis showed the presence of six organic acids, which are probably responsible for this effect. Conclusion: The hexane extract and EDTA (standard), have the strongest chelation activities. Keywords: Phragmites australis, Chelation, Heavy metals, Organic acids, Ferrozine, Murexide.