In vitro antioxidant activity and phenolic content of Cedrus brevifolia bark.

Elena Cretu, Juha-Pekka Salminen, Maarit Karonen, Anca Miron, Christiana Charalambous, Andreas I Constantinou, Ana Clara Aprotosoaie

Index: Nat. Prod. Commun. 9(4) , 481-2, (2014)

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Abstract

A raw extract and four extractive fractions were obtained from Cedrus brevifolia (Cyprus cedar) bark. They were all studied regarding the phenolic content and profile using spectrophotometry and HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS. The antioxidant activity was investigated using in vitro assays: DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging and reducing power assays. The ethyl acetate fraction had the highest total phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents; a taxifolin-O-hexoside, catechin, epicatechin and procyanidin oligomers (three dimers, two trimers) were identified in this fraction. The ethyl acetate fraction was found to possess the highest DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging effects (EC50 = 13.9 +/- 0.3 and 2.3 +/- 0.0 microg/mL, respectively) and reducing capacity (EC50 = 9.1 +/- 0.1 microg/mL). Antioxidant effects were highly correlated with total phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents (r = 0.89-0.99). These results suggest that Cedrus brevifolia bark is a new source of antioxidants.