Correlation between Anthocyanins, Total Phenolics Content and Antioxidant Activity of Purple Corn (<i>Zea mays</i> L.)

Abstract

Six purple corn grains were chosen to investigate their antioxidant activities and the relationships between anthocyanins and phenolics contents with antioxidant activities. Purple grains were screened for their antioxidant potentials using various in-vitro models such as superoxide anion radical scavenging activity and reducing power at various concentrations. The result showed that ZS39 and FS11 exhibited the highest anthocyanins and total phenolics contents. ZS39 and FS11 also exhibited the highest superoxide anion radical scavenging activity. There was no significant difference among the reducing power of six different purple corn grain extracts. It was found that there were positive correlations between anthocyanins and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity or reducing power, R2=0.9911, R2=0.9873, respectively. Whereas the correlations between total phenolics and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity or reducing power, R2=0.9863, R2=0.9826, respectively. It suggested that purple corn appeared to be a rich and interesting source of natural antioxidants.