Antioxidant activities of the methanol and water extracts from Ornithogalum umbellatum

Abstract

Ornithogalum (Asparagaceae) species are consumed both as a food and as a therapeutic agent for their medicinal properties in many countries, including Turkey. The aim of the study was to investigate the in vitro antioxidant activities in aerial parts and bulbs of Ornithogalum umbellatum comparatively. The plant materials were collected from Agva (Istanbul). Methanol and water extracts were prepared from the aerial parts and bulbs of the plant. Antioxidant capacities of the extracts were evaluated by using DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays along with the determination of total phenolic compounds. Quercetin was used as a standard antioxidant and total phenolic compounds were estimated as gallic acid equivalents. The results showed that the methanol extracts from the aerial parts of O. umbellatum have the highest total phenolic content and the strongest antioxidant activity. However, the water extracts from bulbs of the plant did not possess any antioxidant activity. We can conclude that, in view of the antioxidant effect of O. umbellatum, the plant may be a natural source of antioxidant.