Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Some Brazilian Species
Open Access
- 1 January 2007
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Informa UK Limited in Pharmaceutical Biology
- Vol. 45 (2), 156-161
- https://doi.org/10.1080/13880200601113131
Abstract
The antioxidant activity of extracts and fractions of six vegetal species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest were determined. The total antioxidant activity was assessed based on the scavenging activity of the stable DPPH free radical. Eight extracts or fractions of plants showed significant DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 ≤ 10.0 µg/mL) compared with the values obtained for ascorbic acid (IC50 = 8.4 µg/mL) and gallic acid (IC50 = 2.6 µg/mL). The extracts or fractions were as follows: ethanol extracts of leaves, flowers, and stems of Baccharis illinita. DC., ethanol extracts of leaves and stems of B. platypoda. DC., hydroalcoholic extract and ethyl acetate fraction of leaves of Cyathea phalerata. Mart. and hydroalcoholic extract of bark of Trichilia catigua. A. Juss. Seven flavonoids present in the plant extracts were also investigated. The most active compounds were taxifolin, quercetin, and luteolin, which possess the catechol group 3′,4′-diOH. In addition, the total phenolic or flavonoid contents of these extracts and fractions were evaluated. The phenolic content of the sample was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and varied from 489.07 to 11.29 mg/g dry weight expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE). The total flavonoid concentrations, detected using 2% aluminum chloride, varied from 61.82 to 5.6 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g dry weight. These results suggest that the level of antioxidant activity in these plants varies by a great extent. They also suggest that the phenolic content in these plants provides substantial antioxidant activity. The flora of Brazil appears to be a rich and interesting source for supplementary ethnomedical and phytochemical studies.Keywords
This publication has 24 references indexed in Scilit:
- Antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging capacity between Korean medicinal plants and flavonoids by assay-guided comparisonPlant Science, 2002
- The modifying effect of β-carotene on gamma radiation-induced elevation of oxidative reactions and genotoxicity in male ratsMutation Research - Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 2000
- Influence of iron chelation on the antioxidant activity of flavonoidsBiochemical Pharmacology, 1998
- Antioxidant activity of extracts obtained by different isolation procedures from some aromatic herbs grown in LithuaniaJournal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 1998
- Uses and Properties ofCitrusFlavonoidsJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 1997
- Antioxidant and Prooxidant Behavior of Flavonoids: Structure-Activity RelationshipsFree Radical Biology & Medicine, 1997
- Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activityLWT, 1995
- Nutrition and health aspects of free radicals and antioxidantsFood and Chemical Toxicology, 1994
- 8-Methoxykaempferol 3-neohesperidoside and other flavonoids from bee pollen of Crataegus monogynaPhytochemistry, 1993
- Polyphenols in olive oilsJournal of Oil & Fat Industries, 1981