Antioxidant Activity of Polysaccharides from Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) Leaf Extract

Abstract

polyphenols, polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, vitamins, and minerals. 2,3 These compounds can be extracted from plants, such as water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes). Water lettuce (P. stratiotes) is an aquatic floating plant that is widely found in tropical areas, including South Sumatra, Indonesia. A previous study reported that polyphenol compounds were successfully extracted from the leaf of this plant. 4 Generally, polyphenol compounds are not only present in free forms in plants but are also found in conjugated forms with one or more sugar residues linked to a carbon atom of the aromatic ring or by β-glycosidic bonds to a hydroxyl group. 5 Additionally, the leaf of the plant is also a source of polysaccharide compounds. As reported by the previous studies, polysaccharides were successfully extracted from the leaves of Nelumbo nucifera, 6 Eucommia ulmoides, 7 and Talinum triangulare. 8 These polysaccharides showed some biological activities, including immunomodulatory effects, 8 antioxidant activity, 7 and alpha-glucoside inhibitor. 9