Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of Rhus coriaria and Cinnamomum cassia extracts

Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of the extracts of sumac (Rhus coriaria) fruits and cassia. (Cinnamomum cassia) cortex were studied. Plant samples were extracted with methanol:water (80:20) and an aliquot of each extract was fractionated using n-hexane and ethyl acetate. Antioxidant activities of n-hexane, ethyl acetate and water fractions were measured using Fe+2 induced linoleic, acid-TBA-peroxidation reaction and the Rancimat methods. Free radical scavenging activities of the fractions were determined on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH). Results were compared with those for butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The ethyl acetate fraction of plant materials exhibited a marked antiradical activity on DPPH*, higher than those of BHT and BHA; however, their antioxidant activity on the linoleic acid peroxidation was less than those of BHA and BHT