Improved method for the in vitro assessment of antioxidant activity of plant extracts by headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–electron capture detection

The simultaneous monitoring of malondialdehyde, pentanal and hexanal, final products of lipid peroxidation is reported, using a headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) technique with on-fibre derivatisation. The aldehydes are extracted and subjected to on-sorbent derivatisation into stable hydrazones with 2,4,6-trichlorophenylhydrazine (TCPH) and analyzed. The degree of inhibition of oxidation is performed by monitoring the chlorinated hydrazones after thermal desorption, by gas chromatography–electron capture detection. The procedure was employed to evaluate in vitro the antioxidant activity of Hypericum perforatum L. extracts and of the well-known antioxidant vitamin E following induction of oxidation of sunflower oil, as a model lipid system. Prior to the measurement of antioxidant activity, the optimal process conditions, i.e. headspace volume, temperature, agitation, extraction/derivatisation time and desorption time and temperature were properly established. Aqueous extracts of H. perforatum L. exhibited the highest antioxidative effect. The method is shown to be promising for screening purposes for antioxidant substances and natural extracts.