Effects of Rhus coriaria L. (Anacardiaceae) on lipid peroxidation and free radical scavenging activity

In order to evaluate the antioxidant potential of Rhus coriaria L. (Anacardiaceae), a well-known spice, the methanolic extract (water-soluble part) was prepared and investigated using free radical-generating systems in vitro. The IC50 value of the extract for lipid peroxidation was estimated as 1200 mug/mL in the Fe+2-ascorbate system while those for superoxide-scavenging activity in the xanthine-xanthine oxidase method and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity in the deoxyribose decomposition method were 282.92 mug/mL and 3850 mug/mL, respectively. These data suggest that the methanolic extracts of Rhus coriaria L. fruits have considerable antioxidant activity against free radicals and lipid peroxidation in vitro, a fact that may encourage in vivo studies. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.