Total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of six species of Actaea L. (Ranunculaceae)

Six species of the genus Actaea (Ranunculaceae) were analyzed for contents of soluble phenolic compounds, including flavonols, catechins, phenolic acids, coumarins, and tannins. Additionally, the contents of saponins, carotenoids, and chlorophylls a and b were determined. Extracts from the aboveground and underground parts of the studied plant species were tested for antioxidant activity using the DPPH assay. Based on the total phenolic content, four categories could be distinguished, regardless of species: “stems” (up to 22.7 mg/g), “roots” (up to 33.3 mg/g), “leaves” (up to 50.6 mg/g), and “inflorescences” (59.9 mg/g). An exception was the leaf extract of Actaea erythrocarpa, which had the highest concentration of phenolic compounds among all the plant samples, at 60.6 mg/g. The analysis of antioxidant activity revealed the same categories: the highest antiradical activity was shown by extracts from the leaves and inflorescences of A. erythrocarpa and A. cimicifuga. Thus, our assays indicate that extracts from the leaves and inflorescences of A. erythrocarpa and A. cimicifuga contain high concentrations of phenolic compounds, which correlate with their antiradical activity.