Antioxidant Activities of Methanol Extracts from Selected Taiwanese Herbaceous Plants

Kuan-Hung Lin¹, Hao Yeh², Su-Yi Lin², Chi-Ming Yang³, Hsiang-Ju Tsai⁴, Jia-Jen Tsai⁴ and Pi-Yu Chao^4,

¹Department of Horticulture and Biotechnology, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan

²Department of Applied Science of Living, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan

³Research Center for Biodiversity, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei, Taiwan

⁴Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan

Cite this paper:
Kuan-Hung Lin, Hao Yeh, Su-Yi Lin, Chi-Ming Yang, Hsiang-Ju Tsai, Jia-Jen Tsai and Pi-Yu Chao. Antioxidant Activities of Methanol Extracts from Selected Taiwanese Herbaceous Plants. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2014; 2(8):435-442. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-2-8-2

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the total phenolic and flavonoid contents in acid methanol extracts of 19 plant species grown and used in Taiwan. The antioxidant activity of leafy plant extracts was determined by measuring the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Polyphenol, flavonol, and flavonoid levels were high in Sonchus oleraceus (SO), Ohwia caudate Thunb. Ohashi (OC), Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (FV), and Artemisia princeps Pamp. var. orientalis (Pamp.) Hars. (ArP, fresh) as compared to the rest of tested plants. In addition, quercetin, myricetin, and morin were abundant in Dendranthe mamori folium (Ramat.) Tzvelev. (DM, dry), FV, SO, Alternanthera philoxeroides (Moq.) Griseb. (AlP), ArP (fresh) and Lonicera japonica Thunb. (LJ). Higher levels of the TEAC, ORAC, and DPPH radical scavenger were generated from extracts of OC, SO, DM (dry), and ArP (fresh). Significant and positive correlations among antioxidant activity and polyphenols and anthocyanidins were observed. ORAC values were also correlated with quercitin and morin. Therefore, these phytochemicals were some of the main components responsible for the antioxidant efficacy of tested plants.

Keywords:
herbaceous plants TEAC ORAC polyphenol flavonol

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