Comparison of total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of Thuja orientalis leaf and short stem extracts isolated from Tehran and Noshahr

Plant bioactive substances are a valuable source of various medicines that play an important role in human health. Increasing resistance to different antibiotics has increased the importance of using plant extracts as they have potential sources of antioxidants. Antioxidant compounds of plant origin can protect the body from damage caused by oxidative stress. Recently, the use of natural antioxidants derived from medicinal plants has had medicinal and medical applications. Comparison of the antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds of Thuja orientalis leaf extracts isolated from the three heights (1, 2, and 3 meters) of Noshahr and Tehran.

In this experimental study, the leaves of Thuja orientalis were collected in spring from Tehran and Noshahr cities at three heights (1, 2, and 3 meters). Subsequently, the methanolic and aqueous extracts were prepared and their antioxidant activities were evaluated using DPPH and FRAP methods. In addition, the content of the phenolic extract of the extracts was measured by the Folin-Succtile method.

The results of this study showed that both aqueous and the methanolic extracts of T. orientalis exhibited significant total antioxidant activities at a height of 3 meteres. The methanolic extract of T. orientalis collected from Tehran and Noshahr in height of 2 meters showed the howest amounts of antioxidant activity. Moreover, the highest and lowest amounts of total phenolic compounds were belonged to aqueous and the methanolic extracts of T. orientalis collected from Noshahr.  

The results of this study showed that the leaf extract of the C. orientalis can be used as an promising source for the synthesis of antioxidant compounds.