Antioxidant Activity of Hawthorn Fruit in vitro

The antioxidant activity of hawthorn fruit (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge var. typica Schneider) extracts was investigated by several in vitro antioxidants properties, including DPPH free radical scavenging activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing power activity, iron-chelating capacity and nitrite scavenging activity. Among the extracts in this study, the 70% EtOH extract showed higher antioxidant activity than the others. The $IC_{50}$ value of DPPH free radical scavenging activity was $99.26\;{\mu}g/mL$ . Furthermore, the 70% EtOH extract also showed significantly high total phenolic and flavonoids contents and reducing power activity. However, the MeOH extract exhibited stronger effects on hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, iron-chelating capacity and nitrite scavenging activity. All the results implicated that, the hawthorn fruit may has the available potential to be utilize as a potential source of natural antioxidant.