A Comprehensive Study on Antioxidant Properties of Crude Extracts from Fruits of Berberis vulgaris L., Cornus mas L. and Mahonia aquifolimum Nutt.

The antioxidant capacity of methanolic crude extracts of Berberis vulgaris L., Cornus mas L. and Mahonia aquifolium Nutt. was tested with the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formation assay, the ferric reducing power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH ) radical scavenging assay. The content of antioxidant components in the extracts, their partition coeffi cient on 1-octanol:water and affi nity to liposome membranes were determined as well. The results show that the IC 50 parameter connected with the antioxidant activity on phosphatidylcholine liposome membrane decreased as follows: B. vulgaris (0.140.01 mg/mL) > M. aquifolium (0.340.03 mg/mL) > C. mas (1.130.01 mg/mL) for AAPH-induced oxidation and M. aquifolium (0.290.03 mg/mL) > C. mas (1.240.07 mg/mL) > B. vulgaris (1.500.05 mg/mL) for Fe(II)/ascorbic acid-induced oxidation, and M. aquifolium (2.350.10 mg/mL) > B. vulgaris (2.690.04 mg/mL) > C. mas (6.170.06 mg/mL) for UVC irradiation. All the extracts exhibited the ability to quench DPPH and to reduce Fe(III) ions to Fe(II) via redox reaction. The content of active components in the extracts, the partition coeffi cient and extracts affi nity to membranes correlated well with their antioxidant activities.