In vitro antioxidant activity of Coleus barbatus (Andr.) Benth (False Boldo) and Peumus boldus (Molina) (Boldo of Chile): a comparative study

A comparative assay was made between crude ethanolic extracts of Peumus boldus and Coleus barbatus in order to evaluate their relative in vitro antioxidant capacities. The antioxidant activity of boldine was employed as standard. The Q½ (concentration necessary to decrease 50 percent of the spontaneous autoxidation of the system) indicates that Coleus barbatus (29.00µg/mL) was almost 10 times less active than Peumus boldus (3.2µg/mL). These results indicate the need for further investigations related to the similaraties in the folk use of the two plants in Brazil