International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

ISSN 2169-3048

International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology ISSN: 2169-3048 Vol. 5 (6), pp. 725-734, June, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Antioxidative potential and radioprotective ability of fermented black tea (FBT).

Narendra K. Ambedkar*, Shankar A. Priyanka and Satyajit Rukh

Department of Biotechnology, West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 11 May, 2016

Abstract 

This study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidative potential and radioprotective ability of fermented black tea (FBT). Total polyphenol content in the FBT was found to be 148.30 ± 2.56 mg/g as determined by ferrous tartrate method. DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging reached a maximum of 96% at 200 μg/ml of FBT and accordingly the reducing power also saturated at the very same concentration. Studies carried out with plasmid DNA revealed the ability of FBT to inhibit gamma radiation-induced single as well as double strand breaks. Prior administration of FBT to human lymphocytes significantly countered radiation-induced DNA damage as evaluated by micronuclei assay and chromosomal aberration study and cell death by trypan blue exclusion method. The results clearly indicate that FBT has significant potential to protect cellular system from radiation-induced damage and ability to scavenge free radicals might be playing an important role in its radioprotective manifestations.

Key words: Radioprotection, fermented black tea, antioxidant, free radical, CBMN assay.