Phenol content, antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of mangrove plants in Micronesia

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To find out and compare the in vitro antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of two species of mangrove plants.@*METHODS@#Mangrove samples were harvested at the shoreline on the island of Weno, Chuuk State in Micronesia. The phenol content, antioxidant activity (based on DPPH-free radical scavenging) and tyrosinase inhibitory activity in different tissues (leaves, barks and roots) of Rhizophora stylosa (R. stylosa) and Sonneratia alba (S. alba), collected from the island of Weno.@*RESULTS@#Total phenol content ranged from 4.87 to 11.96 mg per g of freeze dried samples. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in R. stylosa bark (85.5%). The highest tyrosinase inhibitory activity was found in S. alba bark. Also, total phenol content and antioxidant activity were higher in methanol extracts than in aqueous extracts.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Taken together, the results of this study proved that mangroves can be excellent sources of antioxidant compounds.