Silva Evandro Gomes da, Behr Guilherme Antonio, Zanotto-Filho Alfeu, Lorenzi Rodrigo, Pasquali Matheus Augusto de Bittencourt, Ravazolo Luis Gustavo, Bordignon Celso Luis, Silva Francilene Amaral da, Aboy Ana Lúcia, Bassani Valquiria Linck, Henriques Amélia Teresinha, Reginatto Flávio Henrique, Dal-Pizzol Felipe, Moreira José Cláudio Fonseca
Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 90035-003 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Biol Pharm Bull. 2007 Aug;30(8):1488-96. doi: 10.1248/bpb.30.1488.
Aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts of Bauhinia microstachya leaves (AEBM and HEBM) were investigated for their phenolic content and phytochemical profile (by spectrophotometry and HPLC), and for their antioxidant activities and free radical scavenging potential in different in vitro systems (TRAP, TEAC, TBARS, nitric oxide, superoxide and hydroxyl radical). HEBM presented a 27.4% higher content of phenolics when compared to AEBM and a distinct phytochemical profile was observed. Our work suggests that both extracts have potent antioxidant activities and that their antioxidant capacity and efficiency vary according to the radical-generating system. In general, HEBM was more effective than AEBM in avoiding ROS-generating damage and in scavenging the various radicals formed. Nevertheless, when results were normalized to total phenolic content, a different profile of antioxidant activities and free radical scavenging potential was observed, particularly against oxidative lipid damage and superoxide radical. B. microstachya extracts may be considered an interesting source of natural antioxidants as well as other phenolic-rich plants.
