ARGAN KERNEL EXTRACTS - A POTENT ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND PROMISING ANTIFUNGAL CAPACITY

Abstract

Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels tree is native to Morocco and is of economic importance; however, there is no information about its kernels' antimicrobial properties. Varied solvent systems were used for the fractionation of argan kernels crude extract where the obtained fractions were investigated for their scavenging and reducing antioxidant potential by two in vitro methods, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Along with exploring their antifungal abilities assessed by fungal growth inhibition of Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Plasmodium brasilianum, and Fusarium dimerum using the liquid dilution technique (microtitration) for the minimum inhibitory concentrations’ determination (MICs). Results showed antifungal activities against all tested microorganisms, where MIC values ranged from 0.0010 to 0.0800 g/ml. Dichloromethane subfraction (DMsF) showed the most prominent antifungal activity (MIC value between 0.0010 to 0.0116 g/ml), as well as held the most effective antioxidant potential in the case of both the DPPH radical scavenging capacity (IC50 = 0.340 mg/ml) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (IC50 = 0.153 mg/ml). Taken together, the relevant results evidenced the biologically efficient phytochemicals that argan kernels contain, where the tested extracts showed inhibitory activity against the tested microorganisms by possessing prominent antifungal activity, besides having good antioxidant capacity.