ABSTRACT
Cornus sanguinea L subsp australis [C.A. Mey.] Jav. [Cornaceae] is a native species in north and northwest of Iran. It is locally named Siah-al. The genus Cornus is rich source of anthocyanins. In this study the antioxidant activity, total phenol and total anthocyanin contents of different extracts of C. sanguinea L subsp australis. were investigated for the first time. The fruits were extracted with ethyl acetate, methanol [1% HCl] and water. DPPH and FRAP assay were performed for investigation of antioxidant activity of each extract. The total phenols were measured by Folin-Ciocalteu method while total anthocyanins were detected by spectroscopic method modified by Peksel. The results showed that C. sanguinea L subsp australis methanol [1% HCl] extract [CME] had the highest amount of anthocyanins [12.56 +/- 0.01 micro mol/g extract] as well as the highest amount of total phenolics [88.56 +/- 0.04 mg GAE/ g dry extract]. The CME were found to have the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH assay [IC[50]=90.43 micro g/ml] and in FRAP method [1419.167 +/- 0.025mmol FeII / g dry extract]. Radical scavenger activity of CME at 100 micro g/ml was comparable with alpha -tocopherol [20 micro g/ml] and with BHA [200 micro g/ml], p>0.05. There was a significant correlation between the total phenolic content an antioxidant activity of CME as well as total anthocyanin and antioxidant activity in DPPH assay [R[2] = 0.99]. The results suggest that C. sanguinea L subsp australis is a natural sources of anthocyanin and have considerable antioxidant activity