Characterization, antioxidant capacity and erythroprotective effect of Zaya (Amoreuxia palmatifida) extracts

Zaya (Amoreuxia palmatifida) is a herbaceous plant found in northwest Mexico, particularly in the state of Sonora, where it has been historically consumed by its first settlers due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. Despite its importance, there is little information about the phytochemical compounds present in Zaya, its antioxidant activity and erythroprotective effect. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and quantify some of the compounds of interest related to the antioxidant capacity and erythroprotective effect of the plant. The results show that ethanolic extracts of zaya leaf (LE), root (RE) and stem (SE) contain the highest amount of phenols, tannins, flavonoids, chlorophylls and carotenoids, compared to extracts with leaf ethyl acetate (LEA), root (REA), and stem (SEA). Antioxidant activity was highest in LE by DPPH (61.27 ± 1.03 % of inhibition), ABTS (58.21 ± 0.48 % of inhibition) and FRAP (132.44 ± 5.23). All Zaya extracts had erythroprotective effect on O+ (80 to 87 %), followed by B+ (22 - 85 %) and then with A+ (38 - 60 %). In the cytotoxic assay, the highest percentage of hemolysis (41 - 50 %) occurred in blood type B+ with REA, RE, LEA and LE, while the lowest was in blood type O+. Therefore, LE contains the best secondary metabolites that confer greater antioxidant and erythroprocteric capacity without causing toxicity.