Evaluation of phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of some medicinal plants growing in Algerian Aurès Mountains

Abstract The objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant activities of six medicinal plants growing in Algerian Aurès Mountains. Total phenolic and flavonoids contents were measured using colorimetric methods, and the antioxidant capacities were evaluated using the DPPH radical scavenging and β-carotene bleaching tests. Juniperus phoenica L. had significantly the higher total phenolic compounds (53.6±3.86 mg GAE.g−1 DM) (p<0.05); followed by Romarinus officinalis L. (26.1±3.15 mg GAE.g−1 DM) and Artemisia campestris L. (20.5±1.99 mg GAE.g−1 DM). Artemisia campestris L. had significantly the higher flavonoid contents (11.1±0.56 mg QE.g−1 DM) than other studied plants (p<0.05). The best antiradical activity was observed in Thymus algeriensis extracts (EC50=11.1±0.33 µg.ml−1) and Romarinus officinalis L. (EC50=15.3±0.9 µg.ml−1). β-carotene bleaching test showed that the herbs’ phenolic compounds Antioxidant Activity (AA%) value was found in the range of 64-84%, whereas that of the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid was 51±2.4%. The present results indicate that medicinal plants from the Algerian Aurès mountains could be explored in food and pharmaceutical industries for development of natural’s antioxidant agents.