Antioxidant Activities of Methanolic Extracts of Sweet-Flag (Acorus calamus) Leaves and Rhizomes

The present study reports phenolic content and antioxidant activities of methanol extracts of Acorus calamus leaves and rhizomes. In the leaf extract, amounts of phenolics, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins recorded were 34.4 mg GAE/g, 15.9 mg CE/g, and 22.0 mg QE/g, respectively, whereas in rhizome extracts were comparatively less, with values of 27.0, 11.1, and 9.7, respectively. The leaf extract exhibited striking 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity, ability of chelating ferrous ions, and reducing power, whereas rhizome extract displayed the strongest superoxide anion-scavenging activity. These activities of A. calamus leaf and rhizome extracts were comparable to the standard antioxidants used. Finally, the study revealed correlation between phenolics contents and antioxidant activities of A. calamus leaf and rhizome extracts.