Antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of Ferula assafoetida and its essential oil composition

The antioxidant activity of the aerial parts of Ferula assafoetida was determined by employing various in vitro assay systems. IC50, for DPPH radical-scavenging activity was 380 +/- 12 mg ml(-1). The extracts showed good nitric oxide-scavenging activity (IC50, was 270 +/- 3) and Fe2+ chelating ability (IC50 was 0.57 +/- 0.02 mg ml(-1)). The peroxidation inhibition (antioxidant activity) of the extracts exhibited values from 82% (at 24 hrs) and 88% (at 72 hrs). The extract exhibited a fairy weak reducing power at 25-800 mu g ml(-1) of extracts which was not comparable with Vitamin C (p < 0.001). The tested extracts exhibited very low antioxidant activity. In addition, the chemical composition of the essential oil of the aerial parts was determined. The major compounds were phenol, 2-methyl-5-(1-methyl ethyl) (18.2%), alpha-Bisabolol (10.4%) and Arsine triethyl (8.7%). Total phenol compounds, as determined by the Folin Ciocalteu method, were 94.8 +/- 5.9 mg gallic acid equivalent/g of extract powder and the total flavonoid content (by AlCl3 method) was 90.9 +/- 6.3 mg quercetin equivalent/g of extract powder.