Antioxidant capacity of fruits elderberries (Sambucus nigra L.) and black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa Wild.)

Increased accumulation of free radicals involves in the pathogenesis of many civilization diseases (e.g. cancers). Intake of antioxidants can provide protection against the harmful effects of free radicals. In order to maintain health is therefore very important to ensure efficient supply of the body with specific antioxidants. It seems that antioxidants can protect biomolecules before oxidative damage, therefore are a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The antioxidant capacity of fruits elderberries (Sambucus nigra L.) and black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa Wild.) was determined by the DPPH⁺ method. The samples were diluted with methanol by the method of Šeršeň and Grančai (2008). Reduction of free radicals in the presence of DPPH⁺ radical sample is spectrophotometrically manifested by increasing of absorbance at a wavelength 515nm. The absorbance values of samples depending on the dilution and followed the dynamics of addiction and the absorbance of the antiradical capacity were measured in this study. The value of SC₅₀ was calculated on the basis of observed values. The value of SC₅₀ was 17.74 in the fruits of elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) and 26.65 in black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa Wild.).