HPLC Method for Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity of Menta pulegium Leaves Extract

Antioxidant activity of the aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Menta pulegium cultivated in Iran was examined. The extracts were obtained by an easy and fast microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique from leaves of Menta pulegium. The optimum operating conditions for MAE were ethanol, 300 W, 15.0 min for solvent, irradiation power and digestion time respectively. After extraction the samples were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. All the extracts were found to possess some radical scavenging effect and antioxidant activity as determined by scavenging effect on the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. The activity was evaluated by measuring the decrease of DPPH detected at 517 nm (bleaching assay). The experimental results indicated that the ethanolic extract had the highest antioxidant activity followed by extract in water and methanol.