Antioxidant activity of some edible plants of the Turkmen Sahra region in northern Iran

The antioxidant properties of 10 edible plants of the Turkmen Sahra region in Golestan province in northern Iran, including Allium paradoxum, Allium rubellum, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha longifolia, Origanum vulgare, Prunus divaricata, Rubus sanctus, Rumex tuberosus, Satureja mutica and Spinacia turkestanica were evaluated by four different methods: free radical scavenging using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), evaluation of xanthine-oxidase activity, inhibition of lipid peroxidation by the ferric thiocyanate method, and the deoxyribose degradation assay. All species tested except A. paradoxum and A divaricata showed antioxidant activity at least in one assay. The pro-oxidant activities were also assayed for these species and S. mutica, M. longifolia, and O. vulgare showed significant pro-oxidant activity. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.