Planta Med 2009; 75 - PJ13
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234818

Antioxidant activities of some endemic Verbascum species growing in Turkey

M Sökmen 1, FZ Saltan Erdemgil 2, RS Göktürk 3
  • 1Black Sea University, Faculty of Science & Literature, Department of Chemistry, 61080, Trabzon, Turkey
  • 2AnadoluUniversity, Plant & Drug & Scientific Research Center (AUBİBAM), 26470, Eskisehir, Turkey
  • 3Mediterranean University, Faculty of Science & Literature, Department of Biology, 07058, Antalya, Turkey

Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral and cytotoxic activities of some members of Verbascum genus have been reported [1]. The purpose of this investigation was to determine and characterise the antioxidant activity of the six extracts of the aerial parts from two endemic Verbascum L. species growing in Turkey, utilizing the DPPH free radical-scavenging and β-carotene/linoleic acid assays. Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) method was used to prepare the extracts using Dionex ASE 300 accelerated solvent extractor with different solvents namely, ethylacetate, chloroform and methanol at 80°C temperature. The inhibition percentage of the methanol extracts of V. detersile (a) V. pestalozzae (b) at various concentrations in DPPH test are given in Figure 1.

The methanol extracts of two Verbascum species exerted greater antioxidant activity than those of other extracts with an IC50 value of 48.0±0.5µg/ml, and 40.0±0.5µg/ml, respectively. Ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts were not active in DPPH method. All extracts of both species exhibited no activity in β-carotene/linoleic acid test system. These results indicate that only methanolic extracts of Verbascum detersile and Verbascum pestalozzae have ability to scavenge free radicals.

Reference: [1]Tepe, B. et al. (2006) Food Chem. 98:9–13.