Antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of commonly used anti-inflammatory medicinal plants in Colombia

Oxidative stress is a major factor related to the development of inflammatory diseases, which have traditionally been treated with medicinal plants. Given this relationship, into the research of natural antioxidant sources, the antioxidant capacity profiles of 11 species used in traditional medicine as anti-inflammatories were determined. The antioxidant capacity profile was investigated by using different methodologies that consider electron transfer mechanisms (ET), such as stabilization of the DPPH radical, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and hydrogen atom transfer mechanisms (HAT) such as oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation of lipoproteins through the assessment of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Additionally, the total polyphenol content by the Folin–Ciocalteu method was determined, and the correlation between antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content was estimated. The best amounts of total phenolics and maximum values found in DPPH, FRAP, TEAC, and inhibition of lipid oxidation tests were for extracts of Tibouchina kingii , Pseudelephantopus spiralis , and Mimosa albida . Correlation between polyphenol content with ET tests was observed ( r 2 > 0.85, p