EVALUATION OF PHENOLICS, THE NITRIC OXIDE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY, AND FERRIC REDUCING/ANTIOXIDANT POWER OF SALICORNIA EUROPAEA

Sung-Hwan Eom, PhD and *Man Kyu Huh MD, PhD

ABSTRACT

We investigate here the antioxidant capacity in local halophytic species, Salicornia europaea, well known for their ethnopharmacological utilizations in traditional medicine. The objectives of this study were to determine antioxidant activities and reducing power activity of ethanol extracts of Salicornia europaea (Amaranthaceae) leaves, stems, and roots. The antioxidant activity of the S. europaea extracts was measured on the basis of the scavenging activity of the phenolic, nitric oxide radical (NO˙)-scavenging activity, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP). Total phenolic contents scavenging activity of leaves of S. europaea was evaluated at 8.0 mg/ml was 49.8%, that of stems was 36.1% at same concentration, and root was 24.7%. NO scavenging activity of leaves of S. europaea was evaluated at 8.0 mg/ml was 39.8% and that of stems was 38.9% at same concentration, and that of root was 29.9%. FRAP activity of leaves of S. europaea was evaluated at 8.0 mg/ml was 34.8% and that of stems was 29.6% at same concentration, and root was 22.8%.

Keywords: Antioxidant capacity, Total phenolic contents, Nitric oxide radical (NO), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Salicornia europaea.