Combining Different Natural Plant Extracts to Stabilize the Antioxidative Activity of Dragon's Blood.

Dragon's blood () is a traditional Chinese medicine known for its wound hemostasis, blood circulation, and stasis properties. Recently, it has also been utilized in cosmetics, though its antioxidant capacity remains unclear. This study aims to stabilize the bioactivity of dragon's blood using various plant extracts. We evaluated single plant extracts and their combinations to identify the conditions that maintained the antioxidant capacity of dragon's blood the longest. Selected plants included , , sp., , and . We used two sources of dragon's blood: and . Extraction conditions were optimized and antioxidant activity was assessed using the free radical scavenging ability of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), total anthocyanin concentration (TAC), total polyphenol content (TPC), the free radical scavenging activity of ABTS, and a ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The results showed that all plant extracts exhibited high antioxidant capacity. had the highest DPPH scavenging ability at 93.81%, with the best combination being green tea and at 92.57%. had the highest TPC at 9921 mg GAE/100 g, with the best combination (green tea and ) at 10500 mg GAE/100 g. ABTS activity was highest for green tea at 98.3%, with the best combination ( and ) at 93.29%. The FRAP assay showed that green tea had the highest electron-donating potential at 3.85 mg/mL, with the best combination ( and ) at 3.71 mg/mL. This study advances our understanding of the antioxidant properties of these plants and the traditional Chinese medicine dragon's blood, enhancing the efficacy of dragon's blood in skincare and cosmetics. Moreover, the application of these extracts could rejuvenate local agriculture, impacting the skincare, cosmetics, and sustainable agriculture sectors.