Abstract
The purpose of this study was to screen the antioxidant activity of medicinal plant extracts from the Brazilian cerrado, through other methods than the total phenolic content and its correlation with the antioxidant activity. Ethanolic extracts of ten species were evaluated through three antioxidant assays, in vitro, including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), total antioxidant activity and reducing power; and by using the Folin-Ciocalteu method the total phenolic content was determined. Ethanolic extracts of Stryphnodendron obovatum, Cecropia pachystachya and Duguetia furfuraceae showed strong antioxidant activity (IC50<5 µg mL-1) in the DPPH free radical scavenging assay; the species Vernonia phosphorea, Hymenaea stignocarpa and Jacaranda ulei may also be highlighted. These results were confirmed in the assays of total antioxidant capacity and reducing power. The extracts of S. obovatum and V. phosphorea showed an abundant phenolic content; therefore, the phenolic content may play a role in the antioxidant activity. These two species, traditionally used in Brazil, showed great power in these assay systems and may be a promising source for the development of natural antioxidants and future candidates for phytochemical and pharmacological studies in related diseases.
Highlights
There has been an increasing interest in natural antioxidants, present in medicinal and dietary plants, which might help prevent oxidative stress
Oxidative stress is the result of the imbalance between the antioxidant defense system and the formation of oxygen free radicals, that is, reactive oxygen species (ROS)
The total phenolic content from plant extracts was measured and their correlation with the antioxidant activities was ascertained by using the Pearson correlation coefficient
Summary
There has been an increasing interest in natural antioxidants, present in medicinal and dietary plants, which might help prevent oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is the result of the imbalance between the antioxidant defense system and the formation of oxygen free radicals, that is, reactive oxygen species (ROS). There are several experimental models in vitro to determine the antioxidant activity of substances, such as DPPH, ABTS, â-carotene beaching, ferro ion chelanting, and others. This assays have the different mechanisms of antioxidant activity (Mathew & Abraham, 2006). The aim of this study was to screen medicinal plant extracts of Brazil cerrado origin for their potential antioxidant activity, using different assays such as reducing power, total antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging by the 2,2-diphenyl1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) to confirm the proton and electron donating mechanism. The total phenolic content from plant extracts was measured and their correlation with the antioxidant activities was ascertained by using the Pearson correlation coefficient
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