Antioxidant Activities of Edible Plants

Abstract

Screening for antioxidative activity of 117 parts consisted of edible plants (107kinds) were performed on their ethanol extract. About half of them showed some influence on oxidative stability of methyl linoleate. Especially 26 species of them seemed to have rather strong antioxidative activity. Selected 14 samples of the active plants were further examined on the activities of their ether, ethanol and water extracts to linoleic acid, respectively, in emulsion system. The active components of the each sample showed individual and different behaviors to the solvent extractions. On the other hand, the contents of α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherol were determined by HPLC to clarify the active component of the antioxidative effects. Tocopherol seemed to contribute some role in the antioxidant activities of the several plants, but most of them suggested the presence of other effective substances.