Effects of plant extract antioxidative phenolic compounds on energetic status and viability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells undergoing oxidative stress

• S. cerevisiae mutant depleted of SOD1 gene was applied to assess biological effects of plant extracts.
• The gallant soldier and fumitory herb extracts improved the viability of Δsod1 cells.
• The gallant soldier and fumitory herb extracts improved the status of energy coupling in the mutant cells.

Galinsoga parviflora Cav. and Fumaria officinalis L. are well known to have many therapeutic applications based also on their antioxidant activity. Because the antioxidative potential of plant materials is related to the presence of phenolic compounds, we determined their content in both herb extracts. Then the antioxidant potency of the extracts was estimated by measuring ABTS scavenging activity and by Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell assays, including the estimation of viability, respiration coupling and protein carbonylation for the yeast Δsod1 mutant. This mutant undergoes oxidative stress because of the depletion of the superoxide dismutase form encoded by the SOD1 gene (CuZnSOD). We demonstrated that the antioxidative activities of G. parviflora and F. officinalis extracts coincide with the content of phenolic compounds, namely, phenolic acids. Moreover, we observed a relationship between the extract activities and their effects on the Δsod1 cell status of energy coupling and protein carbonylation, as well as cell viability. These findings provide new data regarding the mechanism of antioxidative activity of plant phenolic compounds and the potential of the studied herb for application as a functional food ingredient.