Antioxidant activity of polyphenols from Sea buckthorn fruits (Hippophae rhamnoides)

Lipid oxidation in foods can be retarded by the addition of antioxidants. Certain plants rich in compounds with antioxidant activity manifest an increasing interest in food industry because they retard oxidative degradation of lipids. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), alcoholic extract was investigated for antioxidant activity. Sea buckthorn fruits were extracted with ethanol using a Soxhlet extractor and the crude extract was analyzed in order to establish total soluble phenolics and the antioxidant activity The alcoholic extract of Sea buckthorn was found to contain phenols with antioxidant activity. The extract was studied for 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. The extract was also studied for lipid peroxidation assay by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) method. The results indicated that Sea buckthorn annihilates free DPPH radicals, the superoxide anion and the hydroxyl radical and it has an inhibitory effect upon lipid peroxidation process.