Structural characteristics, fluorescence quenching, and antioxidant activity of the arabinogalactan protein-rich fraction from senna (Cassia angustifolia) leaves

Senna (Cassia angustifolia) is widely used in Indian folk medicine for the prevention of various disorders. Herein, we have demonstrated that water extracted arabinogalactan protein (AGP) rich fraction possesses strong antioxidative activity. The AGP rich fraction was analyzed using chemical, chromatographic, and spectroscopic methods. Effect of water extracted polymers on bovine serum albumin spectrum was determined using excitation wavelength of 282 nm. The antioxidant capacity of this fraction was studied by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and DPPH radical assays. This polymeric fraction, ≥88% of which gets precipitated with Yariv reagent, consisted mainly of (1→5)-/(1→3,5)-linked α-arabinosyl, (1→3)-/(1→3,6)-linked-galactosyl residues and terminal arabinofuranosyl residues. Its in vitro antioxidant capacity is comparable to that of standard antioxidants. Fluorescence quenching studies furnishes evidence for the interaction of the arabinogalactan protein with bovine serum albumin.