Determination of antioxidant activity of various extracts of Parmelia saxatilis

The work was conducted with the purpose to evaluate antioxidant activity of Parmelia saxatilis (PS) by different analytical methods. Water and methanol were used as solvents and antioxidative effects were measured by a ferric thiocyanate method (FTC) and thiobarbituric acid test (TBA). The antioxidant activity increased with the increasing amount of extracts (from 50 to 250 mu g) added to linoleic acid emulsion. The methanol extract of PS exhibited high antioxidative activity that was not significantly (P < 0.05) different from alpha-tocopherol, while aqueous extracts of PS showed low antioxidative activity. Similar trends of antioxidant activity were observed using either the FTC or TBA methods. Antioxidant activity, reducing power, free radical scavenging (DPPH center dot), superoxide anion radical scavenging, metal chelating and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities of PS extracts showed dose dependence and increased with concentration of PS extract. The results obtained in the present study indicate that the PS might be a potential source of natural antioxidant.