Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of bio-pigment from Beta vulgaris

Abstract

Plants are essential for sustaining life on our planet, providing a diverse range of species that possess therapeutic properties. With a growing awareness of health and well-being among consumers, there has been a rise in the popularity of natural colorants sourced from plant-based materials. In this context, the main objective of this research was to extract valuable natural pigments from Beta vulgaris (commonly known as beetroot), with the aim of increasing the availability of pigments from natural sources while simultaneously minimizing environmental and health risks. The crude extract of pigments was obtained using the maceration method during the extraction process. The crude extract was then purified using flash column chromatography with various solvents as the mobile phase. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of active compounds like phenols, carbohydrates, glycosides, phytosterols, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins. High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) was performed to analyze the betalain profile, showing distinct bands at specific Rf values. The specific functional groups were identified in the Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrum based on the presence of characteristic bands. Antibacterial activity testing demonstrated varying degrees of inhibition against test organisms like Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The evaluated plant pigments exhibited positive results in terms of antioxidant activity, exhibiting free radical scavenging capabilities. The aqueous methanol extract showed the highest extraction yield at 36.71%. The aqueous methanol extract of Beta vulgaris showed the maximum antibacterial activity at 20 mm against Bacillus cereus. The methanol extract and aqueous ethanol extract displayed the lowest IC50 values (45.56 µg/ml and 43.23 µg/ml, respectively), indicating their high antioxidant potential. These findings highlight the promising potential of Beta vulgaris as a valuable source of natural pigments with both antibacterial and antioxidant properties.