Protective Effect of Water Extract of Citrus Pomace against AAPH-Induced Oxidative Stress in Vero Cells and in Zebrafish.

Citrus pomace (CP) is a by-product occurred during juice or other products processing. The enormous amount of CP caused serious environmental issues. However, CP is rich in a variety of bioactive compounds. In the present study, a water extract of CP (CPW) was prepared from the by-product and the and antioxidant activities of CPW were investigated. The antioxidant activities of CPW were evaluated by measuring the free radical scavenging activity and protective effects against 2,2-azobis(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidative stress in Vero cells. CPW scavenges 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, alkyl, and hydroxyl radicals at IC of 0.16±0.00, 0.31±0.01, and 0.86±0.02 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, CPW improved cell viability and scavenged intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in AAPH-stimulated Vero cells in a dose-dependent manner. The antioxidant activities of CPW were investigated in a model of AAPH-induced zebrafish embryos. CPW significantly improved the survival rates and reduced heartbeat rates in AAPH-stimulated zebrafish. Furthermore, the intracellular ROS and cell death levels were remarkably decreased in CPW-treated zebrafish. Therefore, the present results indicated that CPW possesses potent and antioxidant properties and could be a potential ingredient used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.