Antioxidant capacity and total phenolic contents in hydrophilic extracts of selected Bangladeshi medicinal plants

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate hydrophilic extracts from edible portions of fifteen plants for total phenolic content (TPC) and anti-oxidant capacity (AC) as an effort to find possible sources for future novel antioxidants. Methods: Folin-Ciocalteau and DPPH radical scavenging assays were employed to determine TPC and AC, respectively. Results: Among the assayed plants, TPC (mean±SD), expressed as gallic acid equivalent, varied from 0.04±0.01 (Amaranthus spinosus) to 6.01±0.04 (Zanthoxylum rhetsa) mg gallic acid equivalent/g fresh weight. AC (mean±SD), expressed as trolox equivalent, ranged from 0.14±0.00 (Alternanthera philoxeroides) to 7.54±0.00 (Zanthoxylum rhetsa) μmol trolox equivalent/g fresh weight. A significant and positive linear relationship (R