The Analysis of Antioxidant Activity and Capacity of Boiled and Infused Indonesian Herbals

Abstract

Antioxidants from natural ingredients such as medicinal plants are crucial to improving endogenous antioxidant defense system. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and capacity of boiled and infused Indonesian herbals using DPPH (2,2-iphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl) assay. The DPPH assay was conducted with triplicate repetitions to 10 herbals (Phyllanthus niruri, Lantana camara, Piper crocatum, Curcuma xanthorrhiza, Moringa oleifera, Tamarindus indica, Kaempferia galanga, Citrus aurantifolia, Hibiscus sabdariffa, and Zingiber officinale), each consisting of boiled and infused samples. The antioxidant activities of those herbals were (boiled and infused samples, respectively): 91.88 %, 91.30 % (P. niruri), 92.14 %, 86.60 % (L. camara), 53.39 %, 58.99 % (P. crocatum), 18.73 %, 20.86 % (C. xanthorrhiza), 51.35 %, 59.96 % (M. oleifera), 63.60 %, 16.95 % (T. indica), 13.14 %, 18.82 % (K. galanga), 20.46 %,69.24 %. (C. aurantifolia), 34.49 %, 34.40 % (H. sabdariffa), and 27.16 %, 26.01 % (Z. officinale). P. niruri and L. camara reached the high R2 value. P. niruri and L. camara reached the stable antioxidant activity after 50 minutes, while the other herbals after 60 minutes. P. niruri and L. camara were the 2 herbals with the highest antioxidant activity and slightly lower antioxidant capacity. The other herbals had lower antioxidant activity and higher antioxidant capacity. There was no significant difference in antioxidant activity between boiled and infused samples of all herbals, except T. indica and C. aurantifolia.