Antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoids contents of three herbs used as condiments and additives in pickles products

Abstract

Abstract Heracleum lasiopetalum Boiss, Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff., and Echinophora platyloba DC. belong the Apiaceae family. They are Iranian endemic plants. These three herbs have been used as food additives in traditional preparations such as pickles. Antioxidant activity (AA) of methanol extracts (ME) of the plants was evaluated by three assays, including DPPH, FRAP, and TEAC. From all three assays, comparing all the MEs for their IC50 and EC1 values, E. platyloba had the highest AA. Total phenolic content (TPC) of the extracts ranged from 74 to 120 mg TAE/g. The extract of H. lasiopetalum exhibited the highest TPC. The flavonoids content (FC) of the extracts ranged from 7.63 to 14.52 mg RE/g, from which the extract of E. platyloba had the highest flavonoids concentration. A positive correlation between the FC and AA in DPPH assay was found. A significant correlation was also found between the TPC and AA in FRAP assay. These results suggested that the level of AA in these plants varied in a great extent. Our results indicated that extract of E. platyloba could be an important dietary source of flavonoids compounds with high antioxidant capacity. In addition, E. platyloba can be used as an alternative preservative and natural flavor instead of synthetic ones in food industry (especially pickles)