Antioxidant properties of Phyllanthus amarus extracts as affected by different drying methods

• Published in: Food science & technology Vol. 40; no. 9; pp. 1664 - 1669
• Main Authors: Lim, Y.Y., Murtijaya, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antioxidant activity; antioxidants; Biological and medical sciences; DPPH free radical scavenging; drying; drying quality; drying temperature; extraction; Ferric reducing; Folin-Ciocalteau method; Food engineering; Food industries; free radical scavengers; Functional food ingredient; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; herbal medicines; herbs; iron; phenolic compounds; Phenolic content; Phyllanthus amarus; plant extracts; Folin-Ciocalteau method; Antioxidant activity; Functional food ingredient; Phenolic content; Phyllanthus amarus; DPPH free radical scavenging; Ferric reducing; Extract; Method; Antioxidant; Properties; Free radical; Health food; Ingredient; Phenols; Drying
• ISSN: 0023-6438; 1096-1127
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2006.12.013

The total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of fresh and dried
Phyllanthus amarus plant materials were evaluated using the Folin-Ciocalteau method, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Different drying treatments led to significant reduction (
P<0.05) in antioxidant properties of
P. amarus methanolic extracts, with microwave drying causing the highest decrease in TPC and antioxidant activity exhibited by the reduction in both radical scavenging activity and FRAP. On the other hand, boiling water extracts appeared to exhibit significantly stronger antioxidant potentials (
P<0.05) even in dried plant materials due to greater solubility of compounds, breakdown of cellular constituents as well as hydrolysis of tannins. Its strong free radical scavenging activity suggests that it has great potential in the food industry as functional food ingredient.