Fereshteh Ezzatighadi

Currently there has been an increased interest globally to identify antioxidant compounds and low or no side effects for use in preventive medicine and food industry. Iran has great possibilities in product and export of medicinal plants. The purposed of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of 10 herb native species south of Iran. The plant material was extracted using water and ethanol as solvents. The total antioxidant potential of a sample for both alcoholic and aqueous extract was determined using the ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assay as a measure of antioxidant power. The assay was based on the reducing power of a compound (antioxidant). Antioxidant activity against the erythrocytes hemolysis was examined by using hydrogen peroxide as free radicals. Moreover, phenolic and flavonoid contents were investigated. The results of present study indicated that antioxidants properties in water extract of studied herbs were more significant than in alcohol extract and through 10 herbs studied respectively Thymus vulgaris and Teucrium polium was the significant power antioxidant properties. But in alcohol extract Lavandula stoechas L and Thymus vulgaris were shown significant antioxidant properties. Moreover RBC hemolysis in Thymus vulgaris and Teucrium polium with respect to more antioxidant properties was significant than other herbs. The present study given that some herbs are rich in natural antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals activity and recommended as prevention of various diseases of these plants, along with new synthetic drugs used.