Free radical scavenging, anti-glycation and tyrosinase inhibition properties of a polysaccharide fraction isolated from the rind from Punica granatum

The present investigation deals with the isolation of a polysaccharide fraction from Pomegranate (PFP), which was found to inhibit 1,1-diphenyl-1-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-Azinobis[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate] ABTS-(+) radical activities by 69% and 88%, respectively with 4 mu g/ml concentration. The activity of PFP for free radical scavenging was also evaluated by electron spin resonance (ESR) Spectrophotorneter and DPPH dot blot test. Anti-glycation ability of PFP was tested using BSA, which inhibited the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) by 28% and also inhibited the formation of fructosamine in the BSA/Glucose system. The inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase by 43% at 10 mu g/ml concentration of PFP strongly suggested its efficacy as a possible skin whitener. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.