Antioxidant Activity of Crataegus pentaegyna Subsp. elburensis Fruits Extracts Used in Traditional Medicine in Iran

In this study, the antioxidant activity of methanol and aqueous extracts of Crataegus pentaegyna subsp. elburensis (CP) were examined by various in vitro assay systems, i.e., DPPH and nitric oxide radical scavenging, reducing power, linoleic acid and iron ion chelating power. IC50 for DPPH radical-scavenging activity was 341.29 +/- 1.29 for methanol and 269.31 +/- 2.11 microg mL(-1) for aqueous extract. Reducing powers of extracts also increased with the increase of their concentrations. Both extracts exhibited a weak reducing power at 25-800 microg mL(-1). Extracts exhibited weak nitric oxide radical scavenging and Fe2+ chelating ability. Methanol extract showed higher Fe2+ chelating ability (IC50 = 1.84 +/- 0.01 mg mL(-1)). Both tested extracts exhibited high antioxidant activity. Extracts showed high total phenolic content.