Total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity of four medicinal plants from Hormozgan province, Iran

Background and objectives:Hormozgan province is located in the south of Iran, bordering waters of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. Due to the antioxidant potential of plants which might be responsible for their medicinal properties, the antioxidant properties of four medicinal plants of the region were evaluated. Methods: The antioxidant properties of Chrozophora obliqua, Daphne mucronata, Salvia aegyptiaca and Suaeda vermiculata were evaluated by four different methods: free radical scavenging using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), metal chelating activity, inhibition of lipid peroxidation by the ferric thiocyanate method, and total reduction capability. The flavonoid and phenolic content of the plants were also analyzed. Results: Amongst the species, C. obliqua showed the best result in metal chelating activity test, and S. vermiculata showed the best antioxidant activity in the three other assays, and S. vermiculata and S. aegyptiaca had the highest amount of phenolic and flavonoid contents. Conclusion: The acceptable antioxidant activity of S. vermiclata as a halophyte plant, could justify the medicinal properties of the plant.