Comparative evaluation of the various antioxidant properties of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Achillea biebersteinii Afan

Antioxidants derived from plants play an important role in reducing the risks of chronic and oxidative stress due to free radicals. The present study aimed to measure and compare the various antioxidative activities of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Achillea biebersteinii Afan from Aligudarz, Lorestan Province. After obtaining ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Achillea biebersteinii Afan, the radical scavenging activity of the samples was assessed using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The total antioxidant capacity of the samples was assessed by the Phosphomolybdenum method. The amount of total phenol and flavonoid in the samples was assessed using the Folin-Ciocalteu and Zhishen methods. It was found that the total antioxidant capacity, and the phenol and flavonoid content of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts were similar. The IC50 values (the concentration required to scavenge 50% of radicals) of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Achillea biebersteinii Afan, with Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as a reference was 67.43±4.16, 67.96±5.93, and 3.88±1μg/ml, respectively, P<0.05. The results showed that there was no difference between the antioxidant properties of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. The solvent type used in the extraction process did not affect the antioxidant properties of this plant. This suggests Achillea biebersteinii Afan is a suitable and easily accessible source of natural antioxidants, which could be included in foods and pharmaceutical applications