Phenolic Content And Antioxidant Activity Of Cytisus Villosus And Hypericum Afrum Extracts

Abstract

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the progression of neurodegenerative conditions, including rheumatic and cardiovascular disorders, metabolic syndrome, and other maladies. Natural antioxidants from plants have played an important role from ancient to recent times in the management and treatment of many of these disorders. The combined effect of environmental conditions such as moisture and ultraviolet radiation induce biochemical mechanisms in plants that regulate the production of antioxidant agents as secondary metabolites. The objectives of this study were to determine the phenolic content using a modified Folin-Ciocalteau method, the DPPH method of measuring antioxidant effects, and a HPLC profile of the aerial part of two endemic North Africa plants Cytisus villosus and Hypericum afrum [1 – 2]. The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of these arid land plants were investigated. The butanol fraction from C. villosus and the ethyl acetate fraction of H. afrum showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity with IC50 values of 0.164 ± 0.004 and 0.049 ± 0.008 g of extract/mmol DPPH, respectively. These results suggest that the polyphenols compositions of both plants are closely associated to its antioxidant potentials.