Content of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity of plant species Aremonia agrimonoides (L.) DC (Rosaceae)

Abstract

Aremonia agrimonoides (L.) DC is native plant species in central Europe. The examined material was picked up in May 2006 in the surroundings of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, dried in thin layer and pulverized immediately before the experiment. Radical scavenging capacity of plant water extracts against stabile radical DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate) was determined spectrophotometrically according to the method described by Yen and Duh (1). We have also examined the antioxidant capacity of water extract, after treatment with ethyl acetate (for removing soluble condensed tannins). The content of total phenolic compounds was determined by Prussian blue method (2) and procyanidins with acid butanol method in water extract (3). Antioxidant capacity: herb 90.91%, rhizome with root 86.36% and after removing soluble condensed tannins with ethyl acetate the results were: herb 88.58%, rhizome with root 82.64%. Total phenolics results: herb 15.50%, rhizome with root 16.36%. Procyanidins in extracts: herb 7.43%, rhizome with root 20.47%. On the basis of the antioxidant capacity found in extracts, it can not be presumed that the main antioxidant capacity in herb as well as rhizome with root was from phenolic compounds.