Comparative study of antioxidant activity and ingredient in different parts of Areca catechu L. extract

The antioxidant activity of Areca catechu L. was evaluated by three methods:DPPH radical scavenging assay,ABTS+radical scavenging assay and ferric reducing antioxidantpower(FRAP) assay. The relation of the antioxidant activity with the contents of total polyphenols and total flavonoids was studied. The results showed that ethyl acetate extract and n-butanol extract of A. catechu had certain antioxidant activity. The ethyl acetate extract had higher DPPH and ABTS+radical scavenging activity(IC50was 14.60 and 2.04μg/m L),and ferric reducing antioxidant power(TEAC was 4762.99μmol/g) than that of BHT(DPPH:IC50was 24.49μg/m L,ABTS:IC50was 6.56μg/m L and FRAP:TEAC was 2503.17μmol/g,respectively). The n-butanol extract had lower DPPH and ABTS+radical scavenging activity(IC50was 44.32 and 7.62μg/m L),and ferric reducing antioxidant power(TEAC was 1587.42μmol/g) than that of BHT. The contents of total polyphenols and total flavonoids of ethyl acetate extract were higher than that of n-butanol extract. Thus it could be seen that the DPPH and ABTS+radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power of ethyl acetate extract might be related to its high total polyphenols and total flavonoids content.