title: Screening seeds of some Scottish plants for free radical scavenging activity.
abstract: From a consideration of ethnobotanical and taxonomic information, seeds of 45 Scottish plant species encompassing 23 different families were obtained from authentic seed suppliers. The n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) extracts were assessed, both qualitatively and quantitatively, for free radical scavenging activity in the DPPH assay. The MeOH extracts of 37 species exhibited low to high levels of free radical scavenging activity (RC50 values ranging from 2.00 to 4.7 x 10(-4) mg/mL), and Alliaria petiolata, Prunus padus and Prunus spinosa were the most potent antioxidant extracts. The DCM extracts of 17 species showed similar levels of activity, and among those, Prunus padus and Prunus spinosa extracts were the most active with RC50 values of 2.5 x 10(-4) and 5.0 x 10(-4) mg/mL, respectively. The n-hexane extracts were much less active than the MeOH and DCM extracts, and 17 species, with the exception of Glechoma hederacea (RC50 = 1.94 x 10(-4)) displayed low to moderate levels of free radical scavenging property (RC50 values ranging from 2.00 to 8.7 x 10(-3) mg/mL).
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, The Robert Gordon University, Schoolhill, Aberdeen AB10 1FR, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Yashodharan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kumarasamy
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Byres
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaspars
authors.forename: Lutfun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nahar
authors.forename: Satyajit D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Sarker
mesh_terms: D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012606:Scotland; D012639:Seeds
chemical_list: D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl