Title : Radical-scavenging activity of two Algerian medicinal plants: Mentha spicata L. and Mentha pulegium L.
Abstract:
In the present work,two plants from the Mentha genus, collected in Algeria (Mentha spicataL. and Mentha pulegium L.) were examined for radical-scavenging activity (RSA) using 2,2’-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) tests. The ethanolic extract of M. spicata exhibited the best RSA activity (IC50= 16.2± 0.2µg/ml for the DPPH test and 0.90 ± 0.07mM TroloxÒequivalent for the ABTS assay). Moreover, the total phenolic content (TCP) of both species ethanolic extract were evaluated by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and the flavonoids content by a colorimetric aluminium chloride method. The ethanolic extract of M.spicata showed a rich phenolic (12.0±0.3 mg acid gallic equivalent/g of dry matter) and flavonoid (2.45±0.02 quercetin equivalent of dry matter) contents, which most probably explain its potent RSA activity. Hence, the ethanol extract of M. spicatarepresents a source of potential antioxidants that could be used in pharmaceutical and food preparations.
