Abstract The present study was conducted to assess the phenolic content, and antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Lathyrus L. species. The extraction of phenolic compounds from whole seeds, seed coat and cotyledon of Lathyrus hierosolymitanus Boiss. and Lathyrus annuus L. seeds was performed employing different solvents. Total phenolic content (TPC) was measured by Folin- Ciocalteau assay, while the antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging activity, and reducing power assay. It was found that TPC of extracts ranged from 0.12 mg to 6.53 mg GAE/gdw. For each solvent, seed coat extracts were generally observed to render higher TPC and antioxidant activities. There was a correlation between TPC and antioxidant activity. In addition, all extracts were also examined for their antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methanol extracts showed the highest antibacterial activity which is consistent with TPC, but there was no correlation between TPC and antibacterial activity. Solvents were observed to have effects on gallic acid, caffeic acid, and epicatechin extractions. HPLC analysis results of extracts confirmed methanol and ethanol as preferred solvents for phenolic extraction from Lathyrus sp. Phenolic content in the extracts could be suggested to contribute to their antioxidant and antibacterial activity.

The synthesis and molecular structures of six new mono- and trinuclear complexes [M¹L2(M²{Phen)}2J(ClO4)2 [phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, H2L = dioxime ligand, M¹, M² =Ni(II) and Cu(II)] of the ligand, 4-(4-methylphenylamino) biphenylglyoxime are reported. Structural assignments are supported by a combination of FT-IR, elemental analyses, ICP-OES, magnetic susceptibility and molar conductivity studies. Furthermore these complexes were each tested for their ability to catalyze the oxidation of catechol substrates to quinone with dioxygen at 25ºC and disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of the added base imidazole. The catalytic results indicated that the heterotrinuclear Cu(II)Ni(II)Cu(II) complex (5) shows greater catecholase activity. On the other hand the trinuclear complexes display efficiency in disproportion reactions of hydrogen peroxide producing water and dioxygen in catalase-like activity and homotrinuclear Cu(II) (6) complex is more active towards catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The interaction between these compounds with DNA has also been investigated by agarose gel electrophoresis, the trinuclear copper(II) complexes (5, 6) with H2O2 as a cooxidant exhibited the strongest cleaving activity.