antioxidant activity, total phenol and total anthocyanin contents of cornus sanguinea l subsp australis. (c.a. mey.) jáv.

background: cornus sanguinea l subsp australis (c.a. mey.) jáv. (cornaceae) is a native species in north and northwest of iran. it is locally named siah-al. the genus cornus is rich source of anthocyanins. objective: in this study the antioxidant activity, total phenol and total anthocyanin contents of different extracts of c. sanguinea l subsp australis. were investigated for the first time. methods: the fruits were extracted with ethyl acetate, methanol (1% hcl) and water. dpph and frap assay were performed for investigation of antioxidant activity of each extract. the total phenols were measured by folin-ciocalteu method while total anthocyanins were detected by spectroscopic method modified by peksel. results: the results showed that c. sanguinea l subsp australis methanol (1% hcl) extract (cme) had the highest amount of anthocyanins (12.56 ± 0.01 µmol/g extract) as well as the highest amount of total phenolics (88.56 ± 0.04 mg gae/ g dry extract). the cme were found to have the highest antioxidant activity in dpph assay (ic50=90.43 µg/ml) and in frap method (1419.167± 0.025mmol feii / g dry extract). radical scavenger activity of cme at 100 μg/ml was comparable with α-tocopherol (20 μg/ml) and with bha (200 μg/ml), p>0.05. conclusion: there was a significant correlation between the total phenolic content an antioxidant activity of cme as well as total anthocyanin and antioxidant activity in dpph assay (r2 = 0.99). the results suggest that c. sanguinea l subsp australis is a natural sources of anthocyanin and have considerable antioxidant activity.