Antioxidant Compounds and Antioxidant Activities of the Methanolic Extracts from Cockscome (Celosia cristata L.) Flowers

Cockscome (Celosia cristata L.) is a traditional medicine herb used for treatment of fatigue, atherosclerosis, leucorrhoea and osteoporosis (1). The chemical constituents of this plant include mainly flavonoids (2). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant compounds and antioxidant activities of the methanolic extracts and solvent fractions from cockscome flowers. To determine the antioxidant compounds in the methanolic extract and solvent fractions, the content of total polyphenol, flavonoid and tannin were measured by spectrophotometric methods. These were evaluated for antioxidative activities by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities. The yield of methanolic extracts, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water fractions of cockscome flowers were 23.33, 10.27, 20.00, 13.63, 17.55 and 38.54%, respectively. The total polyphenol, flavonoids and tannin contents of methanolic extracts on the cockscome flowers were 6.80, 2.34 and 6.23mg/g extract residue, respectively. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of the methanolic extracts on the cockscome flowers were 52.43 and 107.01mg Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity per g extract residue, respectively. The results of this study show that notable antioxidant activities in cockscome flowers are considered to have significant health benefits.

Keywords: Cockscome (Celosia cristata L.), polyphenol, flavonoid, antioxidant activity

References: 1. Wang Y et al. (2010) Fitoterapia 81: 1246.

2. Weng DB et al. (1995) Acta Nutrimenta Sinica 17: 59.