Free radicals scavenging activity and reducing power of two Algerian Sahara medicinal plants extracts

The aim of this study is to evaluate antioxidant activity of aqueous (Aq.E) and methanolic (Met.E) extracts of Zygophyllum album L. (Zygophyllaceae) and Arthrophytum scoparium (Chenpodiacea), two medicinal plant from Algerian Sahara used in traditional pharmacopoeia. The results showed that Aq.E have the heights yields 24% and 22.3% for Z. album and A. scoparium respectively. Qualitative analysis of showed that the Met.E of Z. album of had the highest amount of polyphenols (202.26±4.73 μg GAE/mg E) and flavonoids (15.77±0.94 μg QE/mg E). The antioxidant activity of extracts was evaluated by 2, 2’-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power assay. Results showed that the extracts of A. scoparium. Have the highest free radical scavenger activity in DPPH test (EC50=0.096±0.001 and 0.108±0.002 mg/ml for Met.E and Aq.E respectively). In addition, the results of reducing power assay demonstrated that Met.E of Z. album had the highest effect with 2399.65±12.31 μg ascorbic acid equivalent/mg E.Our results showed that the methanolic extract reported a considerable free radicals scavenging activity and reducing effect, may be due to their richness on polyphenols and flavonoids.