Inhibitory activity of xanthine-oxidase and superoxide scavenger properties of Inga verna subsp. affinis. Its morphological and micrographic characteristics.

Hexane, dichloromethane and ethanolic extracts of Inga verna subsp. affinis were evaluated as inhibitors of xanthine-oxidase and as scavengers of the superoxide produced by the action of the enzyme. Ethanolic but not hexane and dichloromethane extracts showed inhibitory properties of xanthine-oxidase (IC50=27.3 microg/ml) with an additional superoxide scavenging capacity (IC50=12.7 microg/ml). The antioxidant potential was confirmed with the free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) assay, which showed that the ethanolic extract scavenges 50% DPPH free radicals at 11.6 microg/ml. HPLC study of the phenol content of the active extract, revealed the presence of ellagic and gallic acids as its main constituents. The main morphological and micrographic characteristics of Inga verna subsp. affinis are described in this paper too, in order to aid in its inequivocal identification since Inga spp. are noted for their morphological variation, which makes taxonomic classification very difficult.