Affiliation(s)
1. Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Forest Research Institute, 05-090 Raszyn, Sękocin Stary, Poland
2. Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the
effect of four different solvent, i.e., water, ethanol,
water-ethanol mixture and ethyl acetate,
on the antioxidant activities of wild and cultivated
heather (Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull) plant. The highest values
for total flavonoid content were obtained for samples extracted using
ethanol-water mixture and ethyl acetate. Cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) method,
scavenging ability on 1,1-diphenyl-2-pirylhydrazyl
radicals (DPPH) radicals
and chelating activity on Fe2+ ions have been used
for evaluation of antioxidant activity of the extracts. Ethanolic fraction
exhibited the lowest reducing capacity, despite a heather sample used. The extracts of
cultivated heather exhibited significant
scavenging effect on DPPH radicals, and ethanol and
ethanol-water fractions were found to be the most effective. The metal-chelating effect of the extracts increased
in the order: ethanol < ethyl acetate < ethanol-water < water. The results may be helpful for better utilization of heather
flowers extracts as potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical ingredient.
KEYWORDS
Calluna vulagaris (L.) Hull, heather, extraction, antioxidant activity.
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