Abstract

MOSQUERA, Oscar M; CORREA, Yaned M; BUITRAGO, Diana C  and  NINO, Jaime. Antioxidant activity of twenty five plants from Colombian biodiversity. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz [online]. 2007, vol.102, n.5, pp. 631-634.  Epub July 05, 2007. ISSN 0074-0276.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02762007005000066.

The antioxidant activity of the crude n-hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol extracts from 25 species belonging to the Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Rubiaceae, and Solanaceae families collected at natural reserves from the Eje Cafetero Ecorregión Colombia, were evaluated by using the spectrophotometric 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical-scavenging method. The strongest antioxidant activities were showed by the methanol and dichloromethane extracts from the Euphorbiaceae, Alchornea coelophylla (IC₅₀ 41.14 mg/l) and Acalypha platyphilla (IC₅₀ 111.99 mg/l), respectively. These two species had stronger DPPH radical scavenging activities than hydroquinone (IC₅₀ 151.19 mg/l), the positive control. The potential use of Colombian flora for their antioxidant activities is discussed.

Keywords : Asteraceae; 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH); Euphorbiaceae; radical-scavenging; Rubiaceae; Solanaceae.