Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International 26(2): 1-7, 2019; Article no.JPRI.48123 ISSN: 2456-9119 (Past name: British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Past ISSN: 2231-2919, NLM ID: 101631759) Effect of Storage Temperature and Preservatives on the Stability and Quality of Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms Herbal Health Drinks Nguyen MinhThu1 and Hoang Le Son2* 1Department of Food Technology, School of Biotechnology, International University – Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 2Department of Applied Biochemistry, School of Biotechnology, International University – Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Author NMT conducted literature search, performed all experiments, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Author HLS conceptualized, supervised the study, wrote and revised the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/JPRI/2019/v26i230133 Editor(s): (1) Dr. Jinyong Peng, Professor, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. Reviewers: (1) Morebise, Olugbenga, All Saints University School of Medicine, Dominica. (2) Mahendran Sekar, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle3.com/review-history/48123 Received 07 January 2019 Original Research Article Accepted 18 March 2019 Published 26 March 2019 ABSTRACT Aims: Polyscias fruticosa has been well-known as a traditional medicinal herb which shares the same function as ginseng, favorable for their antioxidant capacity. In this study, the herbal health drink had been developed based on the Polyscias fruticosa extract. The effect of preservatives and storage temperature on the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and total saponin content were investigated over the period of 16 weeks. Methodology: Polyscias fruticosa extract based herbal drinks were formulated. Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate were used as preservatives while storage temperature was set at 4 and 250C. Determination of total phenolic content was performed by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Meanwhile, analysis of total flavonoid and saponin content was conducted by colorimetric methods. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]; Thu and Son; JPRI, 26(2): 1-7, 2019; Article no.JPRI.48123 Results: In general, the effect of preservatives and storage temperature on the concentration of total phenolic content and total flavonoid content can clearly be seen after 6 weeks, while significant difference in concentration of total saponin content had been evidenced from week 11. Typically, The concentration of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and total saponin content in formulas added preservatives and kept at 4C were measured at 2.80±0.26 mg GAE/g, 8.24±0.44 mg CE/g and 20.29±0.27 mg OAE/g after 16 weeks, respectively; however, without adding preservatives and stored at 25C, these components were found at a value of 1.77±0.1 mg GAE/g, 0.0±0.28 mg CE/g, 14.63±0.59 mg OAE/g, respectively. Conclusion: Overall, the presence of preservatives and fridge temperature (4C) has been the optimal condition to maintain the quantity of biological phytocomponents in herbal health drink; however, the addition of preservatives and storage temperature should be taken into consideration depending on the storage time of herbal drink. Keywords: Flavonoid; herbal drink; phenolic; polyscias fruticosa (L.); Harms; saponin. 1. INTRODUCTION product that can be consumed daily and contains nutraceutical ingredients for the body. In view of Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms. (P. fruticosa) these considerations, the stability and quality of belongs to the family Araliaceae, which is a the products under storage conditions need to be member of the ginseng family. In Asian analyzed. countries, P. fruticosa leaves are used as a tonic, anti-inflammatory, antitoxin, antibacterial, and 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS digestive support [1,2]. The root extract of P. fruticosa has been traditionally used for the 2.1 Chemicals and Materials treatment of ischemia, anti-dysentery, anti- inflammatory, neuralgia, and rheumatic pains The roots and leaves of 5-year-old P. fruticosa [3,4,5,6]. Phytochemical studies have shown that were collected in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam. P. fruticosa contains a variety of bioactive The plant was deposited in the herbarium of components such as alkaloids, glucosamine, Applied Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, and B vitamins [7]; Applied Biochemistry, School of Biotechnology, particularly the presence of some essential International University, Vietnam National amino acids including lysine, cysteine and University – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with methionine. However, the pharmacological voucher No. HB-BIO-06-08-18. Folin-Ciocalteau activities of P. fruticosa could be attributed to the reagent was obtained from Merk (Darmsradt, presence of saponins, [8], phenolics and Germany). Catechin, gallic acid, and oleanolic flavonoids. Being potent antioxidants, phenolics acid were purchased from Sigma-Alrich (USA). and flavonoids in P. fruticosa possess certain All other reagents used in the research were of health benefits such as preventing the growth of analytical grade. prostate and lung cancer, improving vascular health, exhibiting anti-mutagenic, anti-asthma 2.2 Preparation of P. fruticosa (L.) Harms and anti-cancer activities [9,10,11]. Herbal Health Drinks In recent years, many nutraceutical products 2.2.1 Preparation of Plant Extract have been developed which take advantages of the availability and potential nutrition of traditional The roots and leaves of P. fruticosa were first medicinal plants [12]. One such plant is P. harvested, drenched, and washed with water to fruticosa. Herbal beverages are considered to be remove dust and soil and other contaminants. an excellent medium for the supplementation of They were subsequently chopped down into nutraceutical components for enrichment, mainly smaller pieces and left for sun drying for 2-3 bioactive herbal extracts [13]. It has been weeks. The material was then ground to a fine scientifically proven to be more convenient to powder and then stored in desiccators for further consume a beverage providing health benefits use. rather than swallow vitamins or pills for the same influences. P. fruticosa herbal health drink not Ten grams (10 g) of each P. fruticosa powder only brings a new yield to the beverage industry was soaked in 100 mL of distilled water. market but also delivers to the customers a Subsequently, the mixture was incubated at 2 Thu and Son; JPRI, 26(2): 1-7, 2019; Article no.JPRI.48123 60.9C for 5 hours using shaking incubator (IKA, as milligram of catechin per gram of P. fruticosa Germany) at 200 rpm, followed by vacuum powder. filtration to obtain the transparent solution. The extract process yielded 37.42±26 mg of oleanolic 2.3.3 Determination total saponin content acid which was almost the same quantity (37.18 mg) extracted by Vo [14]. The method for determination of total saponin content (TSC) of P. fruticosa extract was based 2.2.2 Herbal formulations on the colorimetric methods [17]. 0.5 mL of sample was mixed with 0.5 mL of vanillin reagent The samples were assigned into four different (8% w/v in absolute ethanol). The test tubes formulas namely F1, F2, F3 and F4 (Table 1). were placed in cold water, and 5 mL of sulfuric Each formula was initially prepared by adding the acid (72% v/v) was added slowly on the inner same amount of P. fruticosa extract (100 mL) and side of the test tubes, and allowed to stand for 3 o Stevia sugar powder (0.7 g). Both formulas F1 minutes. The mixture was heated to 60 C for 10 and F2 were given the same amount of minutes in water bath. Then the test tubes were preservatives of combined potassium sorbate removed and cooled in cold water. The (0.005 g) and sodium benzoate (0.005 g), while absorbance was measured at 544 nm. Oleanolic no preservatives were added to the formula F3 acid was used to calibrate standard curve. and F4. Both formulas F1 and F3 were kept at ambient temperature (25C) whereas the formula 2.3.4 Statistical analysis F2 and F4 were stored in fridge (4C) over the period of 16 weeks. All samples were kept in All experiments were conducted in triplicate, and sterilized glass bottle, sealed with aluminum foil. the results were expressed as mean ± SD. The data were then collected after 1 week of Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS and experiment, followed by week 6, 11 and 16. analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the level of significance p = .05. 2.3 Analytical Method 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 2.3.1 Determination of total phenolic content 3.1 Phenolic Stability during Long Term Storage The total phenolic content (TPC) of P. fruticosa extract was measured by Folin-Ciocalteu method The effect of preservatives and storage [15]. 2 mL of diluted sample was mixed with 2 mL temperature on the change of TPC in the P. of Folin-Ciocalteu (10% v/v). The mixture was fruticosa herbal drink had been assayed for the incubated at room temperature for 4 minutes, period of 16 weeks (Fig 1). The results were followed by the addition of 1.6 mL of sodium expressed in a unit of milligram of gallic acid per carbonate (7.5% w/v) to the mixture. Then the gram of extracted powder. Gallic acid is a type of mixture was vortexed for 10 seconds and phenolic acid which is known as 3, 4, 5- incubated in dark condition for 2 hours. The trihydroxybenzoic acid [18]. In general, the absorbance was measured at 765 nm. concentration of TPC in all formulas showed the Gallic acid was used to calibrate the standard downward trends over the tested time. [19,20]. curve. However, the impact can clearly be seen for the formula with addition of preservatives and kept at 2.3.2 Determination of total flavonoid content low temperature while the formula without the addition of preservatives or maintained at The total flavonoid content (TFC) of P.