Antioxidant activity of the Ferula gummosa Boiss.'s aerial parts: Measurements based on different assay methods

Introduction: Measuring of natural antioxidants power is important in the food industry. Ferula gummosa Boiss. plant, locally called Barijeh, is a member of genus Ferula belonging to the Apiaceae  family.  To  introduce  endemic  natural  antioxidants,  antioxidant  capacity  of  alcoholic  and  hydroalcoholic extracts of aerial parts of F. gummosa Boiss. was investigated. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to compare the antioxidant levels and activities between flower and leaf extracts of Ferula gummosa Boiss. plant by different assay methods. Method: The antioxidant activity  of  flower  and  leaf  extracts  of  F. gummosa Boiss. was assessed usingferric-reducing antioxidant  power  (FRAP),  2,2‑diphenyl‑1‑picrylhydrazyl  (DPPH)  radical  scavenging  assay  and  oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. In addition, phenolic content of the extracts was  measured  byFolin‑Ciocalteu  (FC)  method.  Results: Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay showed  that  leaf  extract  has  more  antioxidant  activity  compared  to  flower  extract.  DPPH  assay  had similar results. A slow kinetic behavior was found for methanol extracts of both tissues (EC50 of  0.21  mg/mL  and  0.25  mg/mL  for  leaf  and  flower  methanol  extracts,  respectively)  which  was  estimated by kinetic mode of DPPH assay. The ORAC assay showed higher values for methanolic extracts  compared  to  ethanolic  extracts.  Except  for  ORAC  assay,  a  significant  positive  correlation  was found between antioxidant data of ferric‑reducing antioxidant power, DPPH and Folin‑Ciocalteu assays. Conclusion: These findings suggest that high antiradical potential and reducing power of the  alcoholic and hydroalcoholic extracts of the aerial parts of F. gummosa Boiss. correspond to a high phenolic content in these plant parts. The high antioxidant activity of the F. gummosa Boiss. could propound the hydroalcoholic extracts of this plant as a therapeutic agent to prevent and treat diseases due to free radical imbalance in the body.