Investigation of antioxidant, antibacterial and mineral content of Bryoria capillaris lichen species.

Lichens consist of a fungus and algae or cyanobacteria. Among the public, they are used as expectorant, painkiller, antipyretic or as a food, they have many different uses as tea, oil and spices. Bryoria capillaris is one of the most common lichen species found in the North East Anatolia Region. It is known to be used as flour and tea among the public. There are increasingly many studies on natural antioxidants and antimicrobial preservatives from past to present due to the fact that synthetic antioxidants have toxic effects as a result of the studies in foods and because of the increase in microorganism activities resulting from food spoilage or contamination. In our study, in order to determine the antioxidant activity of Bryoria capillaris extracts prepared in water and ethanol; DPPH• scavenging activity, ABTS•+ scavenging activity, Fe3+-Fe2+ reduction capacity, FRAP reduction capacity, cupric ions (Cu2+) reduction capacity, total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were studied. α-tocopherol, trolox, BHA and BHT were used as standard. The antibacterial activity of lichen was determined by disc diffusion method using 7 bacterial strains. In addition, lichen type of 20 minerals were determined by using ICP-MS device. The absorbance values of ethanol and water extracts of B. capillaris (1 mg/mL) at 20 µg/mL, respectively; for Fe3+ reduction capacity (0.466±0.02; 0.149±0.025) and having the capacity to remove ethanol extract near a-tocopherol, for FRAP reduction capacity; (0.508±0.00; 0.347±0.003), for Cu2+ reduction capacity; (0.335 ± 0.013; 0.173±0.009) and ethanol is more than BHT, close to α-tocopherol, water and extracts of 10-30 µg/mL solutions ABTS•+ scavenging activity IC50 values respectively; (12,955; 39,373) and the ethanol extract have an activity equivalent to α-tocopherol, DPPH scavenging activity IC50 values respectively; (53,786; 76,800), ethanol and water extracts (1 mg/mL) respectively; total phenolic content (µg/mg) (71.190±0.336; 40.952±0.673) and total amounts of flavonoids (µg/mg) (95.655±0.318; 25.505±0.158) was found. İn water and ethanol extracts dissolved in water and in water and ethanol extracts dissolved in DMSO (30mg/mL); In the water and in water extracts dissolved in DMSO, there was no zone. Dissolved ethanol and water extracts in DMSO were observed to form zones against 7 bacterial strains. The ethanol extract dissolved in DMSO showed the best antibacterial effect on E. faecalis strain while the water-soluble ethanol extract on P. aeruginosa strain. In our study, it was concluded that B. capillaris has antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, minarels (Fe, Zn, Mn) known as antioxidant enzyme cofactors and macro minerals (S, P, Mg, Na, Ca, K) which are important for nutrition are rich. Since the studies on the species are very limited; it is thought that it will guide and contribute to the fields of food and pharmacy.