Antioxidant activity of methanol extracts of different species of Artemisia from Iran

Summary Synthetic food additives and commercial antioxidants have been criticized, mainly due to possible toxic effects. Therefore there is an interest for effective antioxidants from natural sources to prevent deterioration of foods, drugs and cosmetics. Fourteen different Artemisia species (seventeen samples); A. absinthium L., A. annua L., A. biennis Willd., A. diffusa Krasch ex poljack, A. fragrans Willd., A. kubadica Boiss. & Buhse, A. khorassanica Podl., A. kopedaghensis Krasch., M. Pop. & Lincz. ex Poljack, A. santolina Schrenk, A. siberi Besser, A. turanica Krasch., A. vulgaris L., Artemisia sp1 and Artemisia sp2,from Asteraceae were collected from different parts of the country. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts of these fourteen different species was evaluated. Antioxidant activity of each extract was measured using two different methods: the ferric thiocyante (FTC) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) methods. The antioxidant activity of these extracts compared with the antioxidant activity of α& tocopherol (a natural antioxidant) and butylhydroxytoluene, (BHT, a synthetic antioxidant). Results indicated that the methanol extracts of tested species possessed antioxidant activity when tested with both FTC and TBA methods. However, the extracts showed a stronger antioxidant activity when FTC method were used.