Peptide of interest from date seeds: antimicrobial peptides with antioxidant activity
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Date pits are a very beneficial natural waste because they can be converted into a variety of goods, including coffee, oil, food supplement powder, and even soap, owing to their richness in bioactive compounds, with applications in nutrition, feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. From the ancient Egyptian civilization (Pharanian) until the present, this substance has also been utilized in the creation of "khol," or eyeliner, in a number of oriental nations. We believe that the latter might include antibiotic compounds in this medication, which has long been recognized for its ability to treat certain eye infections. According to the literature, these chemicals are naturally found in various seeds to safeguard and maintain the embryo so that a new plant can be produced. The pits of the Tunisian "Deglet Nour" dates were used to test a number of molecular extraction techniques from the bibliography that have been used for the pits or seeds of other plants. Ethanol and acetic acid were the two extraction solvents chosen to target the extraction of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Extracts derived from acetic acid showed antibacterial action against Salmonella enterica ATCC 14028, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, and Bacillus pumilus ATCC 14884, but ethanolic extracts had very little or almost no antimicrobial activity against the studied microorganisms. The experiments verified the presence of proteins in both extracts, with the acetic acid derived extracts showing a higher quantity. Chromatographic examination, which showed a profile at 230 nm, further confirmed this. This indicates that the acetic acid date pit extract has antibacterial properties. In contrast, the ethanolic extract lacked antibacterial properties. The compounds were separated to determine their precise chemical structures. A variety of in vitro antioxidant tests, including 1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity, were used to evaluate the antioxidant ability of date pit extracts. AMPs interact with negatively charged bacterial membranes to cause cell lysis owing to their amphipathic nature and positive charge. Host cells are shielded from oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during bacterial infections by the capacity of numerous AMPs to scavenge free radicals and prevent lipid peroxidation. Based on our data, we conclude that the antibacterial action is connected to and/or correlated with the antioxidant ability of date pit extracts.
Source: Scientific African
Language: English
Topic: Date Palm Research Studies
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $590
OpenAlex ID: W7130549335