ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND POLYPHENOLIC CONTENT OF THE BULGARIAN WILD HERB Cistus incanus L. STORED UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

Present study investigates the effect of storage (at room temperature and at a frozen state) of Cistus incanus leaves and its hard-coated seeds on the total polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity in view of the extraction carried out in 50 % ethanol-in water solution. A correlation between the polyphenol content and the antioxidant activity of the leaves stored at room temperature is elucidated. The frozen stored material generates better extraction efficiency and keeps a very high antioxidant activity. This investigation demonstrates that Cistus incanus from Strandja Mountain, Bulgaria is an important source of polyphenols and antioxidant activity. The latter is present in leaves stored for a couple of years. The results from this study contribute to better understanding the extraction process of this nontraditional Bulgarian herb.