Novel Extract from Beetle <i>Ulomoides dermestoides</i>: A Study of Composition and Antioxidant Activity

• Main Authors: Nina A. Ushakova, Efim S. Brodsky, Olga V. Tikhonova, Alexander E. Dontsov, Maria V. Marsova, Andrey A. Shelepchikov, Alexander I. Bastrakov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
• Series: Antioxidants
• Subjects: <i>Ulomoides dermestoides</i>; electro-pulse plasma dynamic extraction; antioxidant activity; lifespan; antiglycation activity
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/7/1055

A biologically active extract from the darkling beetle <i>Ulomoides dermestoides</i> was obtained using the electro-pulse plasma dynamic extraction method. The beetle water extract contained a complex of antioxidant substances such as antioxidant enzymes and nonprotein antioxidants, as well as a complex of heat shock antistress proteins. This determines the rather high antioxidant activity of the aqueous extract of the beetle, i.e., 1 mg of dry matter/mL of the extract has an equivalent antioxidant activity to 0.2 mM Trolox (a water-soluble analog of vitamin E). It was shown that the beetle extract can lead to a 25–30% increase in the average lifespan of nematode <i>Caenorhabditis</i><i>elegans</i>, under normal conditions, and a 12–17% increase under conditions of oxidative stress (with paraquat), and significantly inhibits the fructosylation reaction of serum albumin. Therefore, the beetle aqueous extract shows promise as a biologically active complex exhibiting antioxidant activity.