Antioxidant properties of flowers and vegetative parts of wild Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia
Artigo de Conferência
Visão geral
Visão geral
resumo
The species of the genus Taraxacum are known as dendalion (due to the shape of the leaves)
and are commonly found in the Northern Hemisphere, in inhabiting fields and roadsides with
warmer temperatures. Dendalion infusion and decoction are used in traditional medicine to treat
kidney disease, dyspepsia, arthritic and rheumatic complaints, skin problems like eczema and
even diabetes mellitus. Besides the pharmaceutical uses, the whole plant is included in many food
products [1]. One of the most commonly consumed species is T. officinale; however, traditional
collectors have sometimes difficulties in distinguish different Taraxacum species. In the present
study, two samples of wild Taraxacum sect. Rudera/ia collected in Bragan9a, flowers and
vegetative parts, were studied for their antioxidant activity. Free radicals (DPPH- 2,2-diphenyl-1-
picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity, reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibition were
evaluated on the methanolic extract, infusion and decoction of dandelion samples. The results of
the antioxidant activity of the flowers and vegetative parts were very similar. Decoctions of both
samples showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity (EC50= 0.42 and 0.12 mg/ml for flowers
and vegetative parts, respectively). The decoction of vegetative parts also showed the highest
reducing power (EC50= 0.16 mg/ml). The decoction of flowers and the infusion of vegetative parts
showed very similar results for 13-carotene bleaching inhibition (EC50= 0.40 and 0.46 mg/ml,
respectively) .The methanolic extract of vegetative parts showed the highest activity in TSARS
(thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) assay (EC50= 0.13 mg/ml), although the infusion
revealed also a low EC50 value for the same assay (0.16 mg/ml). As far as we know, there are no
previously studies on the comparison of the antioxidant activity of different extracts and parts of
this species of dendalion. More studies will be conducted to evaluate the activity against human
tumour cell lines and to characterize the bioactive compounds present in the different extracts.
